Israel says letter is from missing soldier

JERUSALEM, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Israeli officials confirmed that a letter turned over to the parents of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit was written by the 19-year-old.

"I feel fine and am being treated well," Shalit wrote, the Maariv daily reported Wednesday. "I miss you and think about you a lot."

A Hamas delegation from Damascus reportedly gave the letter to Egyptian officials in Cairo, who passed it on to former deputy Shin Bet security chief Ofer Dekel, the person in charge of dealing with the affairs of the kidnapped soldiers, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The letter is the first sign of life from Shalit since his kidnapping in a cross-border attack by Palestinian militants on June 25, Ynetnews said.

Egypt is reportedly mediating for Shalit's release in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in three batches, the Post reported.