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Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1002789.html
Lessons of the Hizbullah Prisoner Swap
[Ha'aretz ] Shlomo Avineri Throughout the negotiations, Israel did not know whether the two abductees were alive or dead, and conducted the talks without knowing what it would receive in exchange for the Lebanese prisoners. In any future case, Israel must announce that it will not begin negotiations without knowing whether the captives or abductees are dead or alive. At the same time, Israel must insist that representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross be permitted to see the captives and submit an official report on their condition, according to the requirements of international law. This principle can be adopted now in the case of Gilad Shalit in Gaza.