Olmert threatens 'extreme action' to save soldier

Prime minister Ehud Olmert today said after the launch of a military incursion into Gaza that Israel wouldn’t balk at “extreme action” to bring home a soldier captured by Palestinian militants.

“We won’t hesitate to carry out extreme action to bring Gilad back to his family,” Olmert said about the soldier.

“All the military activity that started overnight will continue in the coming days.”

“We do not intend to reoccupy Gaza. We do not intend to stay there. We have one objective, and that is to bring Gilat home,” he said.

Cpl. Gilad Shalit, 19, was taken captive on Sunday in a Palestinian militant attack on a military post in southern Gaza.