General

Gilad Shalit to be released under terms of prisoner swap deal

Israel to release 1,000 prisoners in deal with Hamas

The Israeli government has come to terms with Hamas officials on a tentative agreement to secure the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who’s been held captive in Gaza for five years. The deal would see Shalit released in the coming days in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, according to a report on Israeli Radio. Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants in a cross-border raid in June 2006 and several attempts at securing his freedom have failed over the years. The exact terms of the deal remain unclear, though a Reuters report indicates the first wave of 450 Palestinian prisoners will be released at the same time as Shalit, while the remaining 550 prisoners will be released at a later time.

The Guardian

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