Israeli soldier released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinians.
Held captive for five years, Israeli Gilad Shalit was released following an agreement between Hamas and Israel. On the other side of the border, 1.027 Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank. "I hope this agreement helps to achieve peace between the two sides, Israel and the Palestinians," said Shalit.
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, 25, was released on Tuesday after more than five years in prison, fulfilling an agreement between Israel and Hamas under which Shalit would be exchanged for 1.027 Palestinian prisoners in two stages.
The first phase, which began on Tuesday, involves the release of 477 Palestinian prisoners accused of terrorism. The other 550 are expected to be released within two months. The exchange process began hours earlier with convoys of prisoners, mostly women, leaving Israeli prisons for the West Bank, under the guard of Egyptian soldiers, the country that mediated the agreement. Shalit had been captured on June 25, 2006.
"I hope this agreement helps to achieve peace between the two sides, Israel and the Palestinians," Shalit told Egyptian television in his first interview since his release. "I feel I am in good health," he said in Hebrew through an interpreter. The soldier thanked everyone who worked for his release.
According to the soldier, the Egyptians were successful in reaching the agreement because they have good relations with Hamas and Israel. He said he hopes to see the remaining Palestinian prisoners released. "I would be very happy if they were all released, so they could return to their families and their lands. I would be very happy if that happened," he stated.
The settlement is the highest price Israel has ever been willing to pay for a person. Shalit was 19 years old and working near the Gaza border when he was captured by militants from three Palestinian groups, including Hamas. Three days later, Israel launched a major operation in Gaza to search for the soldier, which lasted five months and left more than 400 Palestinians dead.
Family
The Israeli soldier reunited with his family at an airbase in central Israel. Schalit arrived at Tel Nof airbase aboard a military helicopter. His parents, Noam and Aviva, led an intense campaign for their son's release over the past five years. They organized marches across the country and set up a protest tent outside the official residence of the Israeli prime minister.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, Hamas militants released Schalit in exchange for the release of more than 1.000 Palestinian prisoners, of whom about 300 were serving life sentences for attacks against Israelis.
Before meeting with his family, Schalit exchanged the civilian clothes given to him by Hamas for an Israeli military uniform.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the released Palestinian militants will be punished if they commit further acts of violence.
Netanyahu issued the warning after greeting Schalit. The prime minister said he understood the pain of Israeli families who lost relatives due to Palestinian violence, but stated that "we will continue to fight terrorism and every released terrorist who returns to committing violent acts will be held accountable."