'Gilad Schalit was not tortured, did not receive beatings'

PRC commander says Israeli soldier was treated much better than Palestinian prisoners in Israel; promises more kidnappings.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Schalit in image (photo credit: Channel 10)
Schalit in image
(photo credit: Channel 10)
Commander of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) Zuhair Qaisi said that Gilad Schalit received better treatment than Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, in an interview with London-based Arabic daily Al Hayat on Thursday.
Qaisi said that Schalit's captors kept constant watch over his physical and mental health so that they could demand a higher price for his release. Qaisi added that although he was frightened, Schalit answered questions quickly and was not tortured in the hours after he was captured on June 25, 2006, according to the report.
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In the period after the young Israeli soldier's capture, Qaisi said, the PRC and Hamas received warnings from leaders of Arab countries that if they did not release Schalit they would undoubtedly pay a very high price.
The PRC commander noted that until the historic prisoner exchange, the German mediator, in efforts to broker a deal to release Schalit, had only managed to secure Hamas' release of a short video of the captive soldier in exchange for the release of 20 Palestinian prisoners, Al Hayat reported.
Qaisi also reiterated previous statements that Hamas and the PRC intend to kidnap more soldiers in order to carry out future exchanges for the remaining Palestinian security prisoners currently held by Israel and to force Israel to end its blockade on Gaza. The IDF blockade on the coastal strip is intended to prevent the smuggling of weapons and rockets into the Hamas ruled territory.
In response to the interview, an Israeli official told The Washington Post that it was clear from statements and videos coming out of Gaza that those saying Hamas was becoming moderate in its rule over the Strip were clearly mistaken, adding that this is a matter of serious concern, Army Radio reported.
Click for full JPost coverage on Gilad Schalit
Click for full JPost coverage on Gilad Schalit