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Israel gets 'sign of life' from captive soldier

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JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli officials Wednesday said that a "sign of life" had been received from Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants.

The officials did not specify what sort of contact had been made.

Shalit, 19, was kidnapped June 25. Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups took responsibility for his abduction from an Israeli border post near Gaza.

Two Israeli politicians on Sunday had hinted that there may be some progress in the Shalit case.

"I don't want to be specific about any part of it, but we believe there is some kind of progress in the chances to release him," Cabinet minister Me'ir Sheetrit said as he entered a Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. "I hope it will come true soon."

Vice Premier Shimon Peres also commented.

"I think it will be complicated, but finally I am sure he would be released," he said.

Meanwhile, there has been no word on the fate of two other kidnapped Israeli soldiers, seized by Hezbollah fighters in a cross-border raid July 12. The incident sparked a 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah that ravaged Lebanon.

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