Netanyahu invites parents of Israeli captured soldier to meet

The parents of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit set up camp in Jerusalem outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, vowing to stay there until their abducted son is freed in a prisoner swap with Hamas. They had been marching for two weeks from their home in Galilee, escorted by some 120,000 people.

(Photo: Reuters)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned the Shalit family from his plane and scheduled a meeting with them on Friday afternoon, Israeli media reports.

The organisers of the Shalit campaign said it was a satisfying public response to their massive 12 day march through the country, although they emphasised that Gilad was not yet home.

Shalit was captured just over four years ago in a cross-border raid from the Gaza Strip.

Hamas wants hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit, including scores of top militants responsible for deadly attacks.

Talks between Israel and Hamas came to a dead end late last year and there has been disagreement within the Israeli government over the conditions of the swap.

Netanyahu said last week that he supported a prisoner exchange deal but not at any cost.

Since his capture, Shalit has had no contact with his family or with the International Committee of the Red Cross. New York-based Human Rights Watch said his prolonged incommunicado detention “may amount to torture”.