Noam Shalit, father of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, said Saturday that he hopes he won't go through another "nightmarish" year, and called on the government "to pick up the pace in bringing back the children."

Shalit spoke at a ceremony in Rosh Hanikra following a cycle rally in the western Galilee, organized to show support for the abducted Israel Defense Forces soldiers and their families.

Karnit Goldwasser called on newly-elected President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, to act for the quick release of the abducted troops, and "and not to let apathy kill them."

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3,000 cyclists took part in the rally Saturday morning, under the banner of "stop apathy for the sake of the kidnapped soldiers."

The cyclists began at the Regba shopping center situated between the coastal towns of Acre and Nahariya, and finished at the town of Rosh Hanikra.

The rally marks almost a year since armored corps soldier Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants on June 25, close to the Gaza Strip.

IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were subsequently abducted by Hezbollah on July 12 near the border with Lebanon, sparking the Second Lebanon War.