Vatican City, Feb 14, 2007 / 15:11 pm
At the conclusion of his Wednesday General Audience today, Pope Benedict XVI received the relatives of three soldiers who were kidnapped last summer by the Islamic terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas.
The relatives of the young soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Reghev, who have been held by the Lebanese group Hezbollah since July of 2006, and Gilad Shalit, who has been held by Palestinian group Hamas since June, asked the Pontiff for an opportunity to briefly speak with him about their loved ones, to which the Pope happily agreed.
The family members also gave the Holy Father a copy of a letter which requests the release of their loved ones.
The Ambassador of Israel to the Holy See, Oded Ben Hur, facilitated in the meeting and described it as "moving."