(1986- ) An Israeli soldier who Hamas captured on June 25, 2006 in a raid across the Israeli border near the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza. The first Israeli soldier captured by Palestinians since 1994, Hamas held Shalit hostage until October 2011, when he was released in exchange for the release of over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The two main obstacles in the previous negotiations between Hamas and Israel for Shalit’s release had been: 1) Hamas’ insistence on the release of Marwan Barghouti, currently serving five life sentences for murder (he was not part of the prisoner exchange); and 2) Israel’s demand for 230 Hamas-affiliated prisoners held by the Palestinian Authority, many of whom were arrested in coordination with Israel after the Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007, to be expelled from the West Bank. Those who called for Shalit’s release include the United Nations as well as various international human rights and aid organizations. For information on Gilad Shalit’s prior captivity, efforts to free him and his release, see “Special:Gaza Captive.” Ynet News. 19 October 2011. http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-4244,00.html. For information on sticking points in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, see Issacharoff, Avi and Amos Harel. “Egypt: Shalit will disappear unless Israel compromises with Hamas.” Haaretz. 19 June 2011. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/egypt-shalit-will-disappear-un....  http://www.justvision.org/glossary/shalit-gilad