Shalit's release is the beginning rather than the end of a delicate process that will last at least two months
Harriet Sherwood
guardian.co.uk,
Article history
guardian.co.uk,
Article history
A Palestinian prisoner looks out of a
jail truck as he awaits release as part of the first stage of prisoner
exchange. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
Sunday 16 October
The Israeli prison service has released the names of 477 prisoners (pdf) – 450 men and 27 women – to be released in the first phase of the deal to free Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who has been held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas for five years.
Shimon Peres, Israel's president, has issued formal pardons as required.
The prisoners have been informed and will undergo medical checks before being transferred to Ketziot prison (men) in south Israel and Hasharon prison (women) in central Israel.
The families of Israeli victims of militant attacks have until Monday evening to lodge objections to the release of individual prisoners in the high court of justice.
Tuesday 18 October
If all goes according to plan, Hamas will release Shalit into the custody of the Red Cross and Egyptian intelligence officials at the same time as 27 women prisoners are freed.
Once Shalit is confirmed to be alive and in mediators' hands, the release of the remaining 450 prisoners will begin. Some will be released to their homes in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem; some will be deported to Gaza; some will be deported abroad.
Shalit will be taken by ambulance from Gaza into Egypt, and from there by military vehicle back into Israel. He will be examined at an army base by medics and psychiatrists and will speak to his family by phone.
He will then be flown by helicopter to the Tel Nof military base in central Israel. There he will meet his family, Israeli chief of staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz and prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
If his health permits, Shalit and his family will then be flown by military helicopter to their home in Mitzpe Hila in Galilee.
Next two months
Israel is obliged under the terms of the deal to free a further 550 prisoners of its choosing within two months of Shalit's release.
The Israeli prison service has released the names of 477 prisoners (pdf) – 450 men and 27 women – to be released in the first phase of the deal to free Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who has been held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas for five years.
Shimon Peres, Israel's president, has issued formal pardons as required.
The prisoners have been informed and will undergo medical checks before being transferred to Ketziot prison (men) in south Israel and Hasharon prison (women) in central Israel.
The families of Israeli victims of militant attacks have until Monday evening to lodge objections to the release of individual prisoners in the high court of justice.
Tuesday 18 October
If all goes according to plan, Hamas will release Shalit into the custody of the Red Cross and Egyptian intelligence officials at the same time as 27 women prisoners are freed.
Once Shalit is confirmed to be alive and in mediators' hands, the release of the remaining 450 prisoners will begin. Some will be released to their homes in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem; some will be deported to Gaza; some will be deported abroad.
Shalit will be taken by ambulance from Gaza into Egypt, and from there by military vehicle back into Israel. He will be examined at an army base by medics and psychiatrists and will speak to his family by phone.
He will then be flown by helicopter to the Tel Nof military base in central Israel. There he will meet his family, Israeli chief of staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz and prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
If his health permits, Shalit and his family will then be flown by military helicopter to their home in Mitzpe Hila in Galilee.
Next two months
Israel is obliged under the terms of the deal to free a further 550 prisoners of its choosing within two months of Shalit's release.
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