Israeli soldier's hunger strike 'sped up release'

[oberliner]

JERUSALEM — Palestinian Islamist group Hamas was forced to speed up the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after he went on hunger strike, Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot reported on Sunday.

Citing unnamed Israeli security sources, the top-selling daily said Shalit, who was held in Gaza for more than five years, suffered significant weight loss after he began to refuse most food during the final part of his captivity.

His dramatic weight loss and the isolation in which he was held raised fears among his captors that he might die before they could agree a deal to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for freeing Shalit.

"It was one of the things that pushed Hamas to finalise an agreement," the newspaper said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gM3RD8T_Rez1vxirc62S79EGYd-w?docId=CNG.5b3137d37ca033f82d1946db0c21911c.2c1

[bemildred]

1. Good for him.

The only real leverage he had at his disposal: a reduction in his market value; takes a lot of guts and grit to do, and you might lose the bet, but I imagine after a few years in captivity, you cease to find that or anything else to be much a threat.

[oberliner]

2. Shalit recovering well, his grandfather says

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Gilad Shalit has recovered from the physical ordeal of his Gaza captivity, his grandfather said.

Tzvi Shalit met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to update him on the rehabilitation of the Israeli soldier who was seized by Hamas-led gunmen in 2006 and kept incommunicado until his release as part of an Egyptian-brokered prisoner swap in October.

"Gilad has put on weight. He really is back to normal," Netanyahu's office quoted Shalit's grandfather as telling the prime minister.

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/12/01/3090527/shalit-recovering-well-his-grandfather-says

[oberliner]

3. Another story says this story is bogus

I believe it was posted here as well.

[bemildred]

4. I saw it, I'm trying to ignore it.

:hi: