Middle East News
France's Sarkozy meets ex-Hamas hostage Gilad Shalit
Feb 8, 2012, 16:23 GMT
Paris / Tel Aviv - French President Nicolas Sarkozy met Wednesday in Paris with Gilad Shalit, the former Israeli soldier who was held captive in the Gaza Strip for over five years by Hamas.
Shalit, who was accompanied by his parents, Noam and Aviva, was making his first trip abroad since he was released on October 18, in exchange for 1,027 Palestinians held by Israel. He has kept a low profile since returning home, although he did recently attend a Maccabbi Tel Aviv basketball game.
Sarkozy commended Shalit on the 'courage' he displayed during his captivity, and praised his parents for the steadfastness they showed during their son;s ordeal.
Shalit is a dual French-Israeli citizen. The French Ambassador to Israel, Christophe Bigot, was one of the first to visit the Shalit family home after Gilad's homecoming.
Shalit was snatched during a cross-border raid Hamas and two other Palestinian militant groups launched form the Gaza Strip on June 25, 2006.
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