One of Schalit’s teachers found the story while doing spring cleaning last year and brought it to his family, said Noam Schalit, Gilad’s father.

“This is a message from an 11-year-old kid who believes that even enemies can live together in the end,” Schalit said. “It’s amazing how relevant that is to his situation today.”

Mazal Gabai, Gilad Schalit’s fifth-grade teacher, said he wrote the story after she taught them about parables. “I believe that the prophecy will come true, and the two will live together,” she told Israel Radio.

“The message is clear - nothing can happen without dialogue. Even if the other side is extremely difficult, we’ll find a way to bridge the gaps.”

All of the illustrators who took part in the project volunteered their work.

Talks over Schalit’s release have produced no results so far.

Hamas wants Israel to free hundreds of Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis, which Israel has refused to do, though the Government recently has been discussing relaxing its criteria for a prisoner release in order to bring Schalit home.

“We are holding on to our right to release the Palestinian prisoners,” said Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Hamas militants holding the Israeli. “We will never give up this holy right, and until they fulfill our demands, Schalit will remain in captivity.”

Schalit’s captors have not allowed Red Cross representatives to see him, and his condition is unclear. The only known sign of life from the soldier was an audio recording released in June 2007, a year after he was taken captive.

... contd.