Is it just me or have we stopped taking about Gilad Shalit so much since Hamas released the video of him last month? After an initial surge of discussion in the wake of the video’s release it seems that general public attention on Gilad’s plight – he has been in captivity in Gaza since his kidnap in 2006 – has declined. I hope I’m wrong…

It was an emotional day when the video was released. We’ve talked about, campaigned and prayed for him for so long but for most of us Gilad Shalit has always been just a – peculiarly haunting – photograph. Watching the video was such a relief. On the face of it at least he seemed in far better physical and mental health than one could have hoped for in the circumstances.

And then the video came to an end and with it a painful reminder that for all the relief its release brought us, Gilad is still being held. One can only imagine the emotions his parents must have gone through that day.

I hoped the video would give the campaign a second impetus but I can’t help worrying it had a  placatory effect and knocked us off course. That said, there is a school of thought that decreased discussion of his case is good, because – so the argument goes – every time a protest takes place Hamas will note the pressure on the Israeli government and raise its price for his release. I suppose this goes to the heart of the kidnapped prisoner issue for Israel: the price for a hostage’s release is unthinkable, to abandon the captured unconscionable.

I know the Israeli government is doing lots behind the scenes for Gilad’s release. Despite being very much a realist I’ve always believed he will get home. We just have to keep hoping and praying.