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'''Oron Shaul''' ({{lang-he|אורון שאול}}) was an Israeli soldier killed in a high-profile incident during the [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict]], whose death first drew international attention when Hamas announced that he had been taken prisoner, and drew international attention again when [[Hamas]] demanded the release of prisoners to return the body to the soldier's family.

==Battle==
{{further|Battle of Shuja'iyya}}
During the fighting on July 20, 2014, Hamas fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF armored personnel carrier carrying 7 soldiers, including Oron Shaul.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Harel|first1=Amos|title=Soldiers killed in Gaza were deployed in 50-year-old APC|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.606238|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Haaretz|date=20 July 2014}}</ref> Hamas rapidly claimed to have captured an IDF soldier named Aron Shaul, backing up its claim with the soldier's "photo ID and credentials".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Plesser|first1=Ben|title=Israel Hunts Remains of Missing Soldier Sgt. Oron Shaul|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/middle-east-unrest/israel-hunts-remains-missing-soldier-sgt-oron-shaul-n162036|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=NBC|date=22 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Lynfield|first1=Ben|title=Israel-Gaza conflict: Israeli military names soldier Oron Shaul confirmed as 'missing' after Hamas celebrates alleged kidnap|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelgaza-conflict-israel-confirms-soldier-missing-after-hamas-celebrates-alleged-kidnap-9620261.html|access-date=15 October 2014|work=The Independent|date=22 July 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=714871 'Hamas says it has captured Israeli soldier in Gaza ,'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119075955/http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=714871 |date=2014-11-19 }}[[Ma'an News Agency]] 20 July 2014.</ref> The IDF later confirmed that the body of Oron Shaul had not been identified among the dead found inside the vehicle.<ref>Harriet Sherwood, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/22/israel-gaza-israeli-soldier-missing-hamas-shujaiiya,' Israel hits hundreds of targets in Gaza as soldier is confirmed missing,'] ''[[The Guardian]]'' 20 July 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-israel-idUSKBN0FP00U20140722|title=Israel says soldier missing, presumed dead; Kerry presses for truce|publisher=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ginsberg|first1=Mitch|title=Golani soldier Oron Shaul caught in Gaza ambush is MIA|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/golani-soldier-caught-in-gaza-ambush-is-likely-mia/|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Times of Israel|date=22 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Raghavan|first1=Sudarsan|title=Missing Israeli soldier, canceled flights could shift dynamic of Gaza conflict|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hamas-may-have-captured-israeli-soldier/2014/07/22/dfb18de2-1170-11e4-98ee-daea85133bc9_story.html|access-date=15 October 2014|work=The Washington Post|date=22 July 2014}}</ref>

==Possible captive==
Shaul's fate was the focus of great concern during the short period when it was feared that he had been taken captive, because, according to the Associated Press, "In the past, Israel has paid a heavy price in lopsided prisoner swaps to retrieve captured soldiers or remains held by its enemies."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Goldenberg|first1=TIA|title=Missing soldier feared to be Hamas prisoner — a nightmare scenario for Israel amid international push for truce|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/22/missing-soldier-feared-to-be-hamas-prisoner-a-nightmare-scenario-for-israel-amid-international-push-for-truce/|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=AP|publisher=National Post|date=22 July 2014}}</ref> According to ''[[The New York Times]]'' , "Hamas has recognized the pull such incidents have over the Israeli psyche and clearly has moved to grab hostages.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rudoren|first1=Jodi|title=A Blast, a Fire and an Israeli Soldier Goes Missing|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/23/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-conflict.html|access-date=15 October 2014|work=The New York Times|date=22 July 2014}}</ref>

===Palestinian celebration of capture===
The claim that an Israeli soldier had been captured, "touched off celebrations among Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank", according to [[The Independent]], which ran photos of Palestinians cheering in the streets of [[Ramallah]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lynfield|first1=Ben|title=Israel-Gaza conflict: Israeli military names soldier Oron Shaul confirmed as 'missing' after Hamas celebrates alleged kidnap|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelgaza-conflict-israel-confirms-soldier-missing-after-hamas-celebrates-alleged-kidnap-9620261.html|access-date=15 October 2014|work=The Independent|date=22 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Plesser|first1=Ben|title=Israel Hunts Remains of Missing Soldier Sgt. Oron Shaul|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/middle-east-unrest/israel-hunts-remains-missing-soldier-sgt-oron-shaul-n162036|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=NBC|date=22 July 2014}}</ref> According to ''The New York Times'' , "Celebrations immediately broke out in Gaza and the West Bank."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rudoren|first1=Jodi|title=A Blast, a Fire and an Israeli Soldier Goes Missing|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/23/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-conflict.html|access-date=15 October 2014|work=The New York Times|date=22 July 2014}}</ref>

Hamas television celebrated the purported kidnapping with a victory mocking the grief of Shaul's family and celebrating the alleged hostage-taking in song: "We've taken a second [[Gilad Shalit|Shalit]], a young, blond-haired boy."<ref>{{cite news|last1=PalWatch|title=Hamas song mocks Israeli MIA Oron Shaul|url=http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=12150|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Palestinian Media Watch|date=23 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Levitt|first1=Matthew|title=Hamas is going through a rough patch, so what is it singing about?|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/international/220783-hamas-is-going-through-a-rough-patch-so-what-is-it-singing|access-date=15 October 2014|work=The Hill|date=15 October 2014}}</ref>

===Israel questions claim===
By 22 July, spokesmen for Israel questioned the claim of capture.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lynfield|first1=Ben|title=Israel-Gaza conflict: Israeli military names soldier Oron Shaul confirmed as 'missing' after Hamas celebrates alleged kidnap|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelgaza-conflict-israel-confirms-soldier-missing-after-hamas-celebrates-alleged-kidnap-9620261.html|access-date=15 October 2014|work=The Independent|date=22 July 2014}}</ref>

==Confirmation of death==
On July 25, Israel confirmed that Shaul was dead.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cohen|first1=Gili|title=IDF determines Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, previously considered missing, is dead|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.607236|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Haaretz|date=25 July 2014}}</ref>

==Ransom demands for soldier's body==
On August 11 Israeli Minister of Defense, [[Moshe Ya'alon]] visited the Shaul family to inform them that the government was making every effort to retrieve their son's body from Hamas.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Raved|first1=Yahiya|title=Ya'alon tells family: Oron Shaul's body is in Hamas' hands|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4557467,00.html|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=YnetNews|date=11 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ben Porat|first1=Ido|title=Ya'alon Vows to Recover Body of Oron Shaul|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/183910#.VD6InefXOHk|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=Israel National News|publisher=Arutz Sheva|date=11 August 2014}}</ref>

There was coverage of the request for Hamas to return the bodies of Shaul and another missing soldier, [[Hadar Goldin]] in Israeli and international media through the late summer and early fall of 2014.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kieu|first1=Chu|title=Bản tin 20H: Ukraine buộc tội Nga hỗ trợ miền Đông|url=http://www.tienphong.vn/xa-hoi/ban-tin-20h-ukraine-buoc-toi-nga-ho-tro-mien-dong-765775.tpo|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Tienphong|date=30 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Aurora |title=Hamás: "Un trato por los cuerpos de los soldados es inminente" |url=http://www.aurora-israel.co.il/articulos/israel/Titular/60527/ |access-date=15 October 2014 |publisher=Aurora |date=1 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221000048/http://www.aurora-israel.co.il/articulos/israel/Titular/60527/ |archive-date=21 December 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ibtimes.com/israel-agrees-ease-blockade-gaza-strip-reach-hamas-truce-1656380 | title=Israel requested the return of the bodies during ceasefire talks.| website=[[International Business Times]]| date=12 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=TOIstaff|title=At ceasefire talks, Israel to demand return of 2 soldiers' bodies|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/at-ceasefire-talks-israel-to-demand-return-of-2-soldiers-bodies/#ixzz3GE7FsnSg |access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Times of Israel|date=21 September 2014}}</ref>

The question of whether Israel should release convicted Palestinian militants in exchange for Hamas' agreement to release the bodies of the 2 dead soldiers ignited a heated political debate within Israel.<ref>{{cite news|last1=CohenGil|title=Israel refusing to release rearrested Hamas prisoners from Shalit deal, official says|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.618593|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Haaretz|date=1 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Dvorin|first1=Tova|title=Report: Israel, Hamas Close to Terrorist Swap Deal; Hamas official boasts of 'bargaining chip' ahead on Facebook page|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/185631#.VD6QzufXOHk|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=Israel National News|publisher=Arutz Sheva|date=30 September 2014}}</ref> Apparently referring to the 2 bodies, Hamas official Mushir al-Masri boasted that "Hamas has bargaining chips that forced Israel to succumb to Palestinian demands. The indirect negotiations mediated by the Egyptians may in the future lead to a new prisoner swap deal in which many Palestinian prisoners are freed." on his Facebook page.<ref>{{cite news|last1=staffIsraelHaYom|title=Hamas says it might trade IDF soldiers' bodies for prisoners|url=http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=20659|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Israel HaYom|date=10 October 2014}}</ref>

Ongoing negotiations for the exchange of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel for the bodies of the 2 MIAs have been the focus of international press coverage.<ref>{{cite news|last1=MNA|title=Official: Israel, Hamas to discuss prisoner exchange|url=http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=733197|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=MNA|publisher=Ma'an News Agency|date=14 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Winer|first1=Stuart|title=Hamas official claims prisoner deal coming soon|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-official-claims-prisoner-deal-coming-soon/|access-date=15 October 2014|publisher=Times of Israel|date=14 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=i24|title=Egypt issues invitations for Israel-Palestinian talks|url=http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/47967-141020-egypt-issues|access-date=20 October 2014|publisher=i24news|date=20 October 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{2014 Israel–Gaza conflict}}

[[Category:2014 Israel–Gaza conflict]]
[[Category:Israeli military casualties]]

Death and ransoming of Oron Shaul - Revision history

CleanupBot at 10:34, 29 January 2022