France weighs in to free abducted Israeli soldier

JERUSALEM, June 26 (Reuters) An Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip also holds French citizenship and Paris is trying to help secure his release, a French embassy spokeswoman said today.

Corporal Gilad Shalit, a 19-year-old soldier serving in a tank unit as part of his compulsory military service, was snatched by gunmen in a raid against army positions along the Gaza-Israeli border yesterday.

He was seized during an attack by militants including members of the ruling Hamas movement. No group has claimed they are holding Shalit. The Israeli army has said he is alive.

''He has French citizenship,'' an embassy spokeswoman said.

She said French authorities were holding contacts with the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority.

''There were contacts yesterday between the French authorities and the Palestinian authorities even before we knew he was a French citizen,'' the spokeswoman said.

Palestinian officials said they were seeking to locate the soldier as Israel vowed reprisals that could include re-invasion of the Gaza Strip if he was not returned safely.

Israel withdrew from Gaza last September after 38 years of occupation. Two Israeli soldiers and two gunmen were killed in Sunday's raid.

REUTERS SHB ND1442