Breaking their usual silence, Mr. & Mrs. Noam and Aviva Shalit, Gilad’s parents, released public statements to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his cabinet today, urging them to close a deal that will result in Gilad’s release, expressing their fears this may be the final opportunity to bring their son home.

Joined by the head of the campaign to bring Gilad home, Shimshon Lieberman, the Shalits arrived at the Prime Minister’s Residence with their letter in hand, a letter that was reportedly emotional, containing the statement “our hearts tell us we are arriving at the point of no return” regarding Gilad’s return home alive.

The Shalits also met with a number of cabinet ministers, lobbying on their son’s behalf, while in the capital today.

In a related matter, Chief of Egyptian Intelligence General Omar Suleiman met in Jerusalem today with Defense Minister Ehud Barak. The two were accompanied by senior officials for part of the meeting, and they also met for 30 minutes alone, reportedly discussing Shalit and other regional defense and security issues.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)