Israel Matzav

Shalit examined by doctors?

In Hamas' continuing misinformation drive to ensure that Gilad Shalit remains in the news, several Arab media outlets reported this weekend that Shalit was examined by French doctors last week.

A French medical crew, comprised of four doctors, entered the Gaza Strip last week and examined kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, several reliable media outlets reported Sunday. This was the first time a foreign element visited the captive.

According to the BBC network in Arabic and the London-based Arabic-language al-Hayat newspaper, the crew entered Gaza last Sunday with German mediator Ernst Uhrlau.

Arutz Sheva adds:

A report in the Arabic language Al-hayat newspaper Sunday morning claims that kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit has been examined by a team of French doctors. The doctors supposedly visited Shalit at the secret location where he is being held by Hamas terrorists last week. The paper did not report on the results of the examination.

And of course, the French doctors would never ever dream of violating the doctor-patient confidentiality by disclosing to anyone who might rescue Shalit where he is being held (not that it matters - Israel knows anyway).

Later on Sunday, both Hamas and Egypt denied that Shalit had been examined at all. But Haaretz added this little tidbit to that report:

Israel Air Force drones flew above Gaza while the doctors were visiting Shalit, the paper said. The German mediator had reportedly pledged to Hamas that Israel would not strike the abducted soldier's hiding place or try to rescue him, despite the fact that the Israel Defense Forces was monitoring the doctors' visit.

The paper further reported that Shalit is being held at a location that is booby-trapped and from which he has no chance of being rescued alive. According to Al-Hayyat, the checkup was another confidence-building measure in order to advance the developing deal to secure the soldier's freedom.

I cannot believe that the IDF is incapable of getting him out. The word here is that the Shalit family insisted that they not try.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:07 PM