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| Gilad Shalit: Israel and Hamas agree prisoner swap deal | Gilad Shalit: Israel and Hamas agree prisoner swap deal |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal for the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held hostage by Palestinian militants for five years. | Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal for the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held hostage by Palestinian militants for five years. |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal had been reached after arduous talks, and that Sgt Shalit would be back with his family "within days". | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal had been reached after arduous talks, and that Sgt Shalit would be back with his family "within days". |
| Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange. | |
| Sgt Shalit was captured in a cross-border raid in 2006, and attempts to negotiate his release have failed. | |
| But Mr Netanyahu said in a national TV address: "We have concluded arduous negotiations with Hamas to release Gilad Shalit. He will be coming home in the next few days." | But Mr Netanyahu said in a national TV address: "We have concluded arduous negotiations with Hamas to release Gilad Shalit. He will be coming home in the next few days." |
| Sgt Shalit's continued detention is a hugely emotive issue in Israel, where his family have maintained a high profile campaign for his release. | Sgt Shalit's continued detention is a hugely emotive issue in Israel, where his family have maintained a high profile campaign for his release. |
| However, there are many Israelis who have had family members killed by Palestinian militants and object in principle to any mass release of prisoners. | However, there are many Israelis who have had family members killed by Palestinian militants and object in principle to any mass release of prisoners. |
| 'Window of opportunity' | 'Window of opportunity' |
| The militant group Hamas, which runs Gaza, said in a statement that there were tens of thousands of people on the streets celebrating the deal. | The militant group Hamas, which runs Gaza, said in a statement that there were tens of thousands of people on the streets celebrating the deal. |
| The clear winner in this prisoner exchange deal, aside from those people being sent home to their families, is Hamas. | The clear winner in this prisoner exchange deal, aside from those people being sent home to their families, is Hamas. |
| In recent months they've clearly been on the back foot after Mahmoud Abbas made his bid for UN membership, which proved hugely popular among Palestinians. Now Hamas has shown that their brand of violent resistance can deliver results too. | In recent months they've clearly been on the back foot after Mahmoud Abbas made his bid for UN membership, which proved hugely popular among Palestinians. Now Hamas has shown that their brand of violent resistance can deliver results too. |
| Negotiations for the prisoner exchange have been going on behind the scenes for years. The sticking point was always which of the high profile prisoners would be let out. Only when we have the full list will we be able to see who gave in the most. | Negotiations for the prisoner exchange have been going on behind the scenes for years. The sticking point was always which of the high profile prisoners would be let out. Only when we have the full list will we be able to see who gave in the most. |
| Palestinian politics is a zero-sum game. Publicly Mahmoud Abbas has already welcomed the prisoner release. Privately he will know he is politically the weaker for it. And that makes his negotiating position with Israel weaker too. So the prisoner exchange deal does not make a peace deal more likely. | Palestinian politics is a zero-sum game. Publicly Mahmoud Abbas has already welcomed the prisoner release. Privately he will know he is politically the weaker for it. And that makes his negotiating position with Israel weaker too. So the prisoner exchange deal does not make a peace deal more likely. |
| Witnesses described celebratory crowds firing guns into the air and honking car horns. | Witnesses described celebratory crowds firing guns into the air and honking car horns. |
| The group's leader Khaled Meshaal, who is in exile in Syria, appeared on TV to hail the swap deal as a victory for the Palestinian people. | The group's leader Khaled Meshaal, who is in exile in Syria, appeared on TV to hail the swap deal as a victory for the Palestinian people. |
| He said the Israelis had agreed to free 1,027 prisoners - including 27 women. | He said the Israelis had agreed to free 1,027 prisoners - including 27 women. |
| Reports said the first 450 prisoners would be freed in the coming days, with the rest being released over the next two months. | Reports said the first 450 prisoners would be freed in the coming days, with the rest being released over the next two months. |
| "It is a great achievement, a qualitative success," said Mr Meshaal. | "It is a great achievement, a qualitative success," said Mr Meshaal. |
| "Because of this accord, there will no longer be any women in the jails of the enemy." | "Because of this accord, there will no longer be any women in the jails of the enemy." |
| He promised to carry on working to free every Palestinian prisoner held in Israeli jails. | He promised to carry on working to free every Palestinian prisoner held in Israeli jails. |
| There are about 5,000 Palestinians held by Israel - some of whom have been convicted of serious crimes, but others are being held without charge. | There are about 5,000 Palestinians held by Israel - some of whom have been convicted of serious crimes, but others are being held without charge. |
| The BBC's Jon Donnison in Jerusalem says Sgt Shalit's family and the families of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will not believe a deal has been done until their relatives are home. | The BBC's Jon Donnison in Jerusalem says Sgt Shalit's family and the families of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will not believe a deal has been done until their relatives are home. |
| Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted an unnamed official in Mr Netanyahu's office as saying that "a brief window of opportunity" opened to allow discussions on Sgt Shalit's release. | Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted an unnamed official in Mr Netanyahu's office as saying that "a brief window of opportunity" opened to allow discussions on Sgt Shalit's release. |
| The official added: "The window appeared following fears that collapsing Mid-East regimes and the rise of extremist forces would make Gilad Shalit's return impossible." | The official added: "The window appeared following fears that collapsing Mid-East regimes and the rise of extremist forces would make Gilad Shalit's return impossible." |
| Israel's Channel 2 TV reported that both sides had shown greater flexibility in recent talks. | Israel's Channel 2 TV reported that both sides had shown greater flexibility in recent talks. |
| Indirect talks over the 25-year-old's release have been going on for years, with Egypt and Germany mediating. | Indirect talks over the 25-year-old's release have been going on for years, with Egypt and Germany mediating. |
| In October 2009, Hamas released a video of the soldier calling on Mr Netanyahu to do everything to free him. | In October 2009, Hamas released a video of the soldier calling on Mr Netanyahu to do everything to free him. |