Hamas vows to capture more Israeli soldiers

Gilad Shalit, upon his return to Israel Oct. 18, 2011, salutes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Credit: IDF.

On the one-year anniversary of Gilad Shalit’s release Oct. 18, Hamas’s leadership spoke openly about capturing more Israeli soldiers in order to use them as bargaining chips for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

“It should serve as a road map to free Palestinian prisoners in the future,” Hamas’s leader Ismail Haniyeh said at an event marking the anniversary.

Haniyeh’s comments followed remarks earlier in the day by Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the military wing of Hamas.

“The theory of the solider safe inside his fort has been shattered,” Obeida said. “The enemy soldiers can at any moment be killed, or captured, or made disabled, regardless of the weapons they have, because they are facing the soldiers of God.”

According to Haaretz, Obeida also spoke about the release of a Hamas-produced film called “The Dispersion of Illusion,” which documents the 2006 abduction of Gilad Shalit, including preparations for his kidnapping and release.

Shalit was released on October 18, 2011 after more than five years in captivity in Gaza. He was exchanged for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were convicted terrorists.