Please ask the Red Cross to visit Gilad Shalit whose 24th birthday is 28 August

As you are aware the MIA UK Foundation has been actively petitioning for the release of missing in action Israeli Soldiers and recently passed a petition containing thousands of names to the British Red Cross in London requesting their intervention in the release of Gilad Shalit.

Gilad Shalit, a 19-year old conscript in the Israel Defence Forces, was abducted by Palestinian Hamas forces in June 2006, while on patrol of the Israeli border with Gaza.

He has now been held in isolation for four  years, with NO VISITS of any kind. Cards and letters addressed to him are returned, even when presented to Hamas officials by representatives of the International Red Cross.

We do not know anything about the conditions under which Gilad is being held. Negotiations for an exchange deal recently failed. Gilad's family and friends - along with thousands of sympathisers - are desolate.

It is incredible that in the 21st Century a young soldier can be held captive in this way, without the International Red Cross (which is active in the Gaza Strip) being allowed access. Gilad must be the loneliest young man in the world, and yet he is being held less than an hour's ride from Tel Aviv.

Please join our effort to help Gilad. Please listen to the link below

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-9NBm99HTw

 and make your own personal appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross by mail, email or phone for their direct intervention on behalf of Gilad Shalit.

Please forward this message to your friends and contacts. Ask your MP, local religious leaders, multi-faith groups, etc. to join this humanitarian effort.
 

A selection of Red Cross addresses can be found below.

ICRC headquarters in Geneva

President of the ICRC, Jacob Kellenberger,International Committee of the Red Cross, 19 avenue de la Paix, CH 1202 Geneva

Fax: ++ 41 (22) 733 20 57

Phone: ++ 41 (22) 734 60 01

Florian Westphal

Head of Media Services

Email : fwestphal.gva@icrc.org

British Red Cross

44 Moorfields, London EC2Y 9AL

Tel: 0844 871 11 11
Fax: 020 7562 2000
Michael Meyer mmeyer@redcross.org.uk