Israel’s employs ‘Hannibal Procedure’ to bombard kidnappers’ escape routes — even if it kills captur

Israeli forces, backed by heavy tank fire and airstrikes, moved deeper into southern Gaza late Friday after a soldier was kidnapped by terrorists, shattering a fragile ceasefire and again dashing hopes of an imminent end to the bloody conflict.

Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, 23,was reportedly seized after gunmen emerged from a tunnel near the town of Rafah about 9.30 a.m. — 90 minutes after the start of a 72-hour ceasefire brokered by the U.S. and the UN in the hope of paving the way toward a lasting truce.

A terrorist wearing a suicide vest detonated himself near some Israeli soldiers, killing two. Lt. Goldin was then taken.

The abduction of one of its soldiers is one of Israel’s deep-seated fears — partly because they can then be used as bargaining chips to wring concessions. In 2006, Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier, was kidnapped by Hamas and only released five years later in return for Israel freeing more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/08/01/israels-employs-hannibal-procedure-to-bombard-kidnappers-escape-routes-even-if-it-kills-captured-soldier/