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Terrorists pledge not to kill Israeli Soldier
THE captors of an Israeli soldier abducted last week do not want to kill the serviceman despite the expiry of an ultimatum to Israel, one of three groups holding him said to wire service AFP today. "Some people thought that the groups that carried out the operation will kill him but our Islamic values tell us that prisoners should be respected and not killed," Abu Muthanna, a spokesman for the Islamic Army, said.
Yesterday, they set a 0300 GMT (1300 AEST) today deadline for Israel to accept its demands, having previously asked for the release of 1000 Palestinian, Arab and Muslim prisoners, as well as of Palestinian women and juniors held in Israel. But Israel rejected the ultimatum and pressed on with its military offensive against the Gaza Strip. In an earlier statement one of the Palestinian militant groups said no further information would be given on the captive's fate. "Discussion is closed," said Abu al-Muthana, spokesman for the previously unknown Islamic Army in the Gaza Strip. "Whether he will be killed or not killed, we will not disclose any information about the fate of the soldier." There was no immediate word from the other groups involved in the kidnapping, the armed wing of Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees. An earlier statement had warned Israel to act on the militants' demands if it "valued the life" of Corporal Gilad Shalit. Israel warned the captors "the sky will fall on their heads" if Cpl Shalit, abducted in a raid on his army post last week, was harmed. The ultimatum had been issued after six straight nights of Israeli air strikes and a massive military assault that saw Israeli tanks and troops enter the Gaza Strip for the first time since leaving last year after a 38-year occupation. "If the enemy does not agree to our humanitarian demands ... we will regard this case as closed," said a statement issued by the armed wing of the governing Hamas movement and two other factions. As Israeli officials warned the crisis could last months, the Hamas-led cabinet appealed to the captors to spare Cpl Shalit's life. Posted by: Oztralian 2006-07-04 |
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