A group of British teenagers have visited the parents of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Bnei Akiva gap year participants, who arrived in Israel earlier this month, met Noam and Aviva Shalit at their protest tent in Jerusalem and presented them with flag signed by all members of the group.
The Shalits have been camped outside Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu’s residence since July to draw attention to their son’s plight.
Gilad, whose fifth birthday as a prisoner was marked recently, was captured in Gaza by Hamas terrorists in 2006.
Hamas has so far refused offers of any kind of prisoner exchange.
BA participant Camilla de Kare-Silver said: "I told Gilad's mother how we are all thinking of him.
“Meeting the family was a moving experience, which made life in Israel a little more real."
Jonny Lipczer, head of BA’s British Desk, said, "Our group told [the Shalits] that Gilad remains in our thoughts, and that we pray daily for his speedy and safe return home.
“Every member of Bnei Akiva stands in solidarity with the Shalit family."
Magen David Adom UK has set up an online petition to highlight Shalit’s plight and demand Hamas permit him to be visited immediately by the International Red Cross.
More than 11,000 people have already signed the petition.