CORPL. SHALIT STILL ALIVE AND IN GAZA

Ramon: Israel has confirmed that Shalit is still alive (JPost)
Justice Minister Haim Ramon announced Wednesday that Israel had confirmed "absolutely" that kidnapped IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit is still alive and being held captive by Hamas. Ramon added that Israel would exact a "high price" from anyone responsible for terror attacks.

Earlier Wednesday, a security establishment official announced that IDF operations in the southern Gaza Strip have prevented Shalit from being smuggled out of the area. The official said that Damascus-based Hamas head Khaled Mashaal was behind the attempts to take the soldier out of Gaza.

"Mashaal intends to hide Gilad Shalit," he said. "Mashaal views Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah as his role model and wants to treat Shalit just as Hizbullah treated Ron Arad," added the official.