Captive soldiers held since 2006 are dead

A sad news story broke today from the Middle East. Two Israeli soldiers, held captive since 2006, have been confirmed to have died. My condolences go out to their families and friends at this time.

Hezbollah confirmed that Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, Israeli soldiers it seized in a 2006 border raid, are dead.

The Lebanese militia delivered two black coffins to the Israeli border on Wednesday, saying they contained the bodies of Goldwasser and Regev.

The Red Cross received the coffins and was to hand them over to Israel as part of a prisoner exchange. Israel reserved comment on the soldiers' condition pending forensic tests to identify the bodies.

On the Israeli side of the border, Prisons Service officials prepared to free five jailed Lebanese terrorists who were to be repatriated under the German-mediated deal.

The bodies of 199 slain Arab terrorists were also trucked from an Israeli military cemetery to Rosh Hanikra border crossing, where they were to be received by the Red Cross.