Israel-Palestine: Swap of 1027 Palestinians for Gilad Shalit Under Way (Al Jazeera English)

Israel Special: How Gilad Shalit Saved Prime Minister Netanyahu

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UPDATE 1445 GMT: Al Jazeera English has updated on developments, including details of the 477 Palestinians --- the first of two sets of detainees to be released --- who were freed today:

In Israel, 96 Palestinian prisoners left the Ketziot prison, bound for the Ofer military camp near the West Bank city of Ramallah, public radio reported early on Tuesday morning.

Another 334 were transferred to the Kerem Shalom crossing, at the southern-most point of the Israel-Gaza border. The first prisoners were dressed in civilian clothes, with their hands and feet manacled, the radio report said.

A convoy of vehicles left the Israeli Katsiout prison in Naqab, near the Egyptian border, before dawn on Tuesday. Vehicles carrying female prisoners also left HaSharon Prison in central Israel.

At the Beituniya border crossing, a "great sense of excitement" quickly evaporated after a last-minute change of plans meant that prisoners would not be brought in through the checkpoint to meet their families, Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford reported.

After the announcement, the assembled crowd threw stones at the Israeli border post, prompting them to retaliate with tear gas and water cannon.

UPDATE 0930 GMT: Gilad Shalit has reportedly crossed into Israel via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

UPDATE 0900 GMT: Gilad Shalit is now in the hands of Israeli officials in Egypt. With confirmation of his release, the Israeli Defense Forces have begun the transfer of Palestinian detainees.

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Al Jazeera profiles five of the Palestinian detainees released today.

Al Jazeera English reports:

The first phase of the prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement that will see the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier, in exchange for 1,027 Palestinians is under way. 

Ninety-six prisoners left the Ketziot prison, bound for the Ofer military camp near the West Bank city of Ramallah, public radio reported on Tuesday morning.

Another 334 were in the process of being transferred to the Kerem Shalom crossing, at the southern-most point of the Israel-Gaza border. The first prisoners were dressed in civilian clothes, with their hands and feet manacled, the radio report said.

A convoy of vehicles left the Israeli Katsiout prison in Naqab, near the Egyptian border, before dawn on Tuesday. Vehicles carrying female prisoners also left HaSharon Prison in central Israel.

The swap, in which a total of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners are to be released in two phases, began a day after Israel's supreme court rejected appeals to halt the deal.

Relatives of Israelis killed by some of the Palestinians set to be released had urged the court to intervene, but it ruled against them, saying the matter was a political decision outside its domain.

The actual release process was expected to begin with Shalit being handed over to either a Red Cross representative or an Egyptian official in Gaza who will confirm to Israel that he is alive and well.

Israel will then release 27 women prisoners after which Shalit will cross into Egyptian Sinai.

Shalit, now 25, was captured in June 2006 by fighters who crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip, governed by Hamas.

After his return, Shalit will be flown by helicopter to the Tel Nof air base in southern Israel, where he will be greeted by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, other leaders and close family. Later he will be flown to his home in northern Israel.

Israel has deployed a heavy security contingent of more than 1,000 police officers to secure the routes of the convoys, and both Israel and Hamas say there will be tight controls on information until after Shalit has been handed over.

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