Palestinians whose relatives are held in Israeli jails, hold banners reading in Arabic: "Wa'ed, the Association for prisoners and former detainees; We will keep our promises", left, and "Wa'ed, the Association for prisoners and former detainees; The Red Cross is crying for one soldier and they forget 7000 prisoners in occupation jail (referring to Israeli jails) [Because these prisoners are all regularly receiving all their Red Cross goodies!--VB]", right, as they beat against the doors of the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, in Gaza City, Thursday, June 23, 2011. The ICRC appealed to Palestinian armed groups on Thursday to prove an Israeli soldier captured five years ago is alive. Later Thursday, about 20 relatives of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel gathered outside the Red Cross office in Gaza City, threw eggs and empty bottles at the building and demanded an apology. The crowd, mostly female, broke a sign on the wall of the building before Hamas police arrived and sent them home. AP Photo.



Palestinian man breaks the glass sign of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as dozens of angry protesters demonstrated outside the premises of the ICRC in Gaza City on June 23, 2011 against a call for Hamas to show signs that captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was still alive. Getty Images.



A relative of a Palestinian held in an Israeli jail smashes the window of a guard's cabin during a protest outside the International Red Cross (IRC) headquarters in Gaza City June 23, 2011. Dozens of families of the Palestinian prisoners threw eggs and stones at the headquarters damaging a guard's cabin during a protest against the aid agency's call on Hamas on Thursday to provide proof that Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit is still alive nearly five years after his capture by Palestinian militants. Getty Images.

Geneva/Jerusalem/Tel Aviv (ICRC) – Five years after Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian armed groups, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is more concerned than ever about his fate. .

He has been held incommunicado for the entire five years, and his family are still without news of his whereabouts or condition.

"The total absence of information concerning Mr Shalit is completely unacceptable," said ICRC Director-General Yves Daccord. "The Shalit family have the right under international humanitarian law to be in contact with their son."

The ICRC has called on Hamas repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, to allow Mr Shalit to exchange family news with his loved ones. It has also reiterated on several occasions its request for access to Mr Shalit, but Hamas has never acquiesced. Because there has been no sign of life from Mr Shalit for almost two years, the ICRC is now demanding that Hamas prove that he is alive. "Hamas has an obligation under international humanitarian law to protect Mr Shalit's life, to treat him humanely and to let him have contact with his family," said Mr Daccord.

The ICRC continues to make every possible effort to gain access to Mr Shalit or at least to establish contact between him and his family.

Read more at ICRC.