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Report: Gaza militant says Shalit 'living in a paradise' By Haaretz Staff Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Gaza militants in 2006, is "living in a paradise," the British newspaper Sunday Times quoted a leader of the Gaza Strip's Doghmush clan as saying. In an interview with Sunday Times reporter Christine Toomey, who embarked on a journey in search of the captive soldier in the Gaza Strip, clan elder Abu Khatab Doghmush said the Army of Islam, the militant group affiliated with the clan, is not currently holding Shalit, even though the group is believed to have taken part in the abduction. Advertisement "The only faction that controls his life now is the Qassam Brigades," Abu Khatab told the Times, referring to the Hamas-affiliated militant group. "But I can tell you that Shalit is living in a paradise. Our religion of Islam demands that we look after prisoners even more than we do our own people." Abu Khatab provided details about Shalit's treatment, rejecting speculation the Israeli is being held in an underground cell booby-trapped with explosives, the paper reported. "He's not being kept in a closed room all the time - this would not be healthy," said Abu Khatab. "He can go out and take fresh air." "Every year a party is held to celebrate his birthday. Yes, there is a cake and candles, music, everything," Abu Khatab added. Toomey also spoke with Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas official and former Palestinian foreign minister, who is quoted as saying he doesn't know anything about how Shalit is being treated by his captors, but that the conditions are certain to be better than those of the Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. "Nobody from the political or military wing of Hamas knows where Shalit is," Zahar was quoted as saying. "Only the small group who kidnapped him know. They are very secretive." Abu Mujahed, the spokesman of the Popular Resistance Committee, which helped plan the abduction, told the Times that Israel would have to free 1,100 Palestinian prisoners before Shalit could be released. "After the Israelis free the first 100 Palestinian prisoners, Shalit would be moved to Egypt," Abu Mujahed was quoted as saying. "Once he's in Egypt, the Israelis would have to free 1,000 more of our brothers and sisters before he is released. We were very close to agreeing a deal a year ago, then the Israelis stopped negotiations. We were amazed that they were prepared to go back to zero. It is the Israelis who are putting obstacles in the way of an agreement." "If we do not see some results soon, we will be forced to close the file," he added. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Saddam in Tel Aviv Israel's Igal Naor 'never wanted to play Hamlet, only Saddam.' The preacher Archbishop Tutu to UN: Israel may have committed war crime.

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