Hamas returns Israeli Bedouin who entered Gaza
The reportedly mentally unstable man made previous attempts to illegally cross into Egypt and Jordan.
By Barak Ravid, Reuters and Avi Issacharoff Tags: Gaza Israel news Israel BedouinAn Israeli Bedouin spotted crossing over the border into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, and reportedly arrested by Hamas forces, was released by the militant group, Army Radio reported on Wednesday.
The same man had made previous attempts to illegally cross into Egypt and Jordan, the Israel Defense Forces spokesman's office said, adding the man was believed to be mentally unstable.
Palestinian witnesses said Hamas police officials took the man into custody after he crossed into Gaza.
On Wednesday, Army Radio said the man had been delivered to the Israeli side of the Erez border crossing after being released by Hamas forces.
The IDF spokesman reported that following an investigation, it was found that the man suffers from mental health problems and has tried in the past to cross the border with Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority territories.
The IDF spokesman said that on Tuesday afternoon IDF forces noticed a suspicious man crossing the fence over to the Gaza Strip.
The IDF forces and police who arrived at the scene began searching the area in attempt to locate the man, but he already managed to cross over to the Palestinian territory.
In August 2009, a Rishon Letzion resident suffering from mental health problems crossed over the border into Lebanon and was returned to Israel by the Lebanese army and UNIFIL forces.
In June 2006, IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was abducted by Hamas-linked militants from Gaza in a cross-border raid on his IDF base. Hamas and Israel have been negotiating since then for his release.
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A good number of the UN staff / NGO workers / journalists who go to Gaza are Jew. Hamas knows it perfectly, since they check passports and see everyone's names, some of which are obvious Jewish names. Hamas targets Israelis, not Jews, they know the difference very well. Ordinary people in Gaza know it well too. I've never heard anything antisemitic said in Gaza, while in Egypt you hear apalling things all the time. Israeli is a nationality, Jew is a religion. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a national conflict, not a religious one.
Shalit is a prisoner of war and thus he will be released when Israel stops waging war against the people of Gaza.
Hamas know how to set somebody free, now Gilat Shalit too.
He went from Israel to Gaza and did not try to go from Gaza to Israel.
The Book of Samuel I relates how David, when fleeing King Saul, reached the Philistine city of Gath. In order to protect himself, he played the madman. So King Achish expelled him back to Israel, saying, "Do I lack madmen?"
Many Jews have gone to gaza on various political and humanitarian trips. They are treated by Hamas just like the rest of the activists and workers, so yes number 9, the same would have happened for a jew. just not for soldiers who they see as a threat and aggressor.
Would this young man be back home by now if he was a Jew? Somehow I doubt it.
Shalit. It seems you have no heart for him.
....for Israelis, the Israeli people should actually take this as a very encouraging sign. All they have to do now, is to find ways to also conquer the hearts and minds of Hamas and their supporters.... Good luck !! :)
He's just trying to reunite a land that has been divided by a racist regime. One day we will all catch up with his futuristic outlook vision. One state, two peoples, three religions: Free Palestine!
I am not sure who is crazier.
How many Palestinian prisoners will Israel have to release to gain the release of this Israeli citizen?
It is not the Bedouin who has mental health problems.
... the evidence of mental problems? Or was that a previous diagnosis? At any rate, he might do more for Gaza than Meshaal, if given a chance.
I remember some basques crossing the line between france and spain twice in a big circle, in and out, with their 2cv again and again again again