Family of Israel soldier captured in Gaza says no deal without releasing our son

The family of the Israeli soldier captured in Gaza, Oron Shaul, yesterday called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to agree to any deal with Hamas until their son is released, the Anadolu Agency reported.

According to the Israeli TV channel Makan, the soldier’s family sent a letter to Netanyahu and other members of the cabinet saying them that holding any deal with Hamas without the release of the Israeli soldier would be a “surrender deal”.

On July 2014 Al-Qassam Brigades announced that it had captured Shaul during the Israeli attack on the besieged Gaza Strip. Later on, Israel announced the loss of two soldiers during the major Israeli 51-day offensive on Gaza which started on 8 July 2014 and claimed the lives of more than 2,260 Palestinians and injured of more than 11,000 others.

Israeli media has reported that Hamas and Israel are holding talks under Egyptian mediation in an effort to end the 12-year siege of Gaza and Cary out a prisoner swap.

A number of Hamas leaders who have been living in exile arrived in the besieged Gaza Strip on Thursday for talks and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a trip to Columbia because of the developments in Gaza this week.