Article published on the 2009-08-14 Latest update 2009-08-14 09:34 TU
The report led to a 12-hour manhunt throughout Israel and the West Bank.
Roadblocks were established all over Israel, and cars were stopped and searched to prevent the kidnapped soldier from being moved outside of Israel. Meanwhile, the military started its emergency procedure, counting every soldier serving to make sure no one is missing.
Earlier on Thursday, a previously unknown group, calling itself the Al-Quds Army, claimed it had seized a soldier near the country's airport in Lod, the Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported.
"A group of our resistance fighters captured a Zionist soldier near Ben Gurion Airport and withdrew along with the soldier without incident," said a communiqué they received.
"We will provide details about the captured soldier later," the statement said.
The roll call procedure took longer than anticipated, because Thursday is the day when many soldiers head home for the weekend to see their families.
Early Friday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officially called the search over, saying all soldiers had been accounted for.