Foreign Secretary statement on Gilad Shalit
Foreign Secretary William Hague has spoken on the anniversary of the abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
William Hague said:
'’Today marks the fourth anniversary of the abduction of Israeli soldier, Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit. My thoughts are with Gilad’s parents today. I sincerely hope that they will soon be able to welcome their son home.
The UK has long called for Gilad Shalit’s immediate and unconditional release and we reiterate that call today. It is also vital that Hamas allows the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit Gilad immediately and ensure that he is in good health. His continued captivity without any ICRC access and with only very occasional, minimal contact with his family is utterly unacceptable. We continue to call on Hamas to renounce violence and take immediate and concrete steps towards the Quartet principles and to free Gilad Shalit without delay. ‘’