Islamic Jihad official expects terrorist prisoners will be exchanged for Israeli hostages held in Gaza like Shalit

Islamic Jihad Information Office Director Daoud Shihab: “A great achievement was recorded by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip. It’s still holding, as it held [former Israeli captive soldier Gilad] Shalit. It’s holding a number of Zionist prisoners and soldiers’ [bodies] today. This is good news for all our people… and all the heroes inside the occupation prisons, for all our people, because freedom is coming and the freedom celebration is coming.”

Gilad Shalit was an Israeli soldier who was kidnapped and held hostage by Hamas for more than 5 years. During that time, he was denied visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross and was not allowed communication with his family, in violation of his rights under the Geneva Convention. Numerous human rights organizations criticized Hamas for confining Shalit under conditions that were contrary to international humanitarian law. In October 2011, the Israeli government agreed to release 1,027 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prison in exchange for Shalit.

“A number of Zionist prisoners and soldiers” refers to Hamas holding Israeli hostages Avraham Mengistu and Hisham Al-Sayed and the bodies of soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin.