French President Nicolas Sarkozy has pledged to keep pushing for the release of IDF soldier Gilad Schalit who just celebrated his 23rd birthday in Hamas captivity.
Sarkozy sent a letter on Schalit's birthday Friday to his parents. The letter was released by Sarkozy's office Monday.
In the letter, Sarkozy tells them to "rest assured that France and the French have not forgotten Gilad and that we will continue to work without rest" for his liberation.
He praised the parents' "courage and tenacity."
Sarkozy wrote that France's new ambassador to Israel, Christophe Bigot, will contact Schalit's family.
