Shalit to be declared disabled IDF veteran

              The IDF said that upon Gilad Shalit's return from Hamas captivity, the Defense Ministry will recognize him as a disabled IDF veteran and afford him all rights pertaining to the status.The Justice Ministry's Amnesties and Pardons Department has begun processing the cases pertaining to the Shalit prisoner exchange. Later Saturday, the ministry's team will be joined by a parallel presidential team that will prepare the necessary clemency petitions. The Israel Prison Service will publish the names of the 477 Palestinian prisoners scheduled to be released as part of the first stage of the Shalit deal on Sunday.A security source within Hamas told Ynet that kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit will not be able to recognize his captors or the place where he was held. "The resistance went to extreme lengths to ensure that Shalit never saw his captures," the source said.Palestinian sources told Ynet that the Egyptian mediators in the Shalit deal have rejected for the time being Hamas' demand to include additional female prisoners in the prisoner swap. According to the sources, the mediators responded to the demand by saying that at this point the agreement must be honored as it is. (21,36)