Noam Shalit sends 'personal letter of condolence' to Hamas strongman Mahmoud al-Zahar following his son's death this week while Hamas reiterates it is treating Shalit's captive son humanelyhttp://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3495656,00.html<
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"The father kidnapped Israeli soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit said Thursday that he sent a letter of condolence to the Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar in Gaza after the latter's son, also a Hamas operative, was killed in an IDF strike.
Al-Zahar confirmed that he had received the letter from Noam Shalit, whose son was abducted in a cross-border raid by Palestinian operatives affiliated with Hamas in June 2006.
"It was a personal letter of condolences," Shalit told The Associated Press on Thursday. He said he did not appeal to Zahar to help free his 21-year-old son, but declined to disclose the text of the letter.
Al-Zahar's 24-year-old son Hussam was one of 19 Palestinians killed Tuesday in an Israeli operation against Gaza rocket squads. Scenes of al-Zahar weeping as he kissed his dead son's forehead were shown on Israeli news broadcasts Tuesday."