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financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now, "bbc world news america." and >> a historic prisoner swap , the gilad shalit has been released. he is now back in israel. in return, hundreds of palestinian prisoners have arrived at the border. >> for its leadership and people and for siding with the palestinians. >> this is the seen alive at the central release point near the west bank city.

♪ was captured in 2006 by hamas militants and has arrived back in israel. he was released as part of a prisoner swap in exchange for him, hundreds of palestinian prisoners are being released from israeli jails. he is on his way to meet his family that he has not seen in five years. these pictures are the first pictures to show him over the course of all of that time. he looks thin. but he does look healthy. gilad shalit will be meeting his father, along with the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu in the coming hours.

he is expecting to undergo further medical health checks to ensure that he is fine. we also have had some of the first shots of the prisoners released. they are speaking about their release into the ordeal they have been through. we have it translated version of what they have to say. >> the negotiations that took place went with wisdom, detail, and precision. we are now keeping. [unintelligible] the israeli always tried to give a different image. -- try to give a different image.

they are murderers. they prefer the murdering way. we give them the chance to capture gilad shalit. we managed to protect him. we are resolute in our resolutions. >> the word and the faces of the palestinian prisoners. this last one says he has been in prison for 15 years, but he is free now. we will be heading for turkey under an agreement regarding the israeli authorities that they would be too high risk for them to return to the west bank or gaza.

israeli defense spokesperson, we will listen to what he has to say. >> [foreign speaking] we will have a translation for you in just a moment. they are giving information that gilad shalit is back on israeli soil. >> gilad shalit will be checked by medics. they will -- there will be a telephone conversation with his family.

those in israel expect to get every piece of information we have about this. the minute we have information, we will pass it to the families and to share it with the prime minister and minister of defence. when the medical checks will be finished, gilad shalit and his entourage will fly to an air force base, where he will meet his family. >> they we are, confirmation of precisely what we expected. it is very carefully choreographed, step by step. we have an idea as to where he is to go, provided there are no hitches. it has been a minor miracle that there have been no hitches. and regarding 1 emailed palestinian prisoners seems to have had anxiety about the

health and assistance she would be receiving. that is in the past. gilad shalit is back in israel. we have seen a large number, 477 palestinian prisoners on their way home. our colleague is that the rafah crossing in israel. we lost richard. he has been waiting along with the rest of us for confirmation of the return home of gilad shalit, which we now have. high focus spots in the middle east at the moment. 6

here, from egypt into israel. iñ?ñ?ñ?ñthe other key thing ist that he already is here and there are television pictures of him in egypt and the heat at least appeared to be in reasonable health. they were saying that they need to conduct more medical tests and psychological tests to see what state of mind he is in as well, before he makes a short helicopter ride to another military base north of here, which is a key moment. that is when he will be reunited with his family, his parents, who are already waiting in this base along with the prime minister bit -- benjamin netanyahu, and also the head of

israel's military. taken in isolation. with all of the celebration, they will be looking over their shoulders with hundreds of palestinians also being released at the same time. >> yes, the israeli population is very conflicted. we have seen it in the media and talking to people over the past few days. that was a sense the deal was announced. everyone feels a huge sense of relief. they were able to secure his release after more than five years of being held in the gaza strip. there is a sense of concern about what the deal may mean it in the coming weeks, months, or

years. there are some many palestinian prisoners that have been released. about 500 now and more up to a couple of months' time. they are a significant amount of prisoners involved in serious attacks on israeli soil. the concern is that they will go back and get involved in violent acts again against israel. chief talks about -- >> an interview is taking place now with gilad shalit. let us listen in. >> i did not imagine that i would be free outside of prison.

yes. i always believed that the day myself outside of prison. not now. how did you received the news that he would be released? that the deal was under way for your release? i heard the news a week ago. at the time, i felt it was the last part of my release, the missing part of my release. i was very happy with such news.

ñwih3añ@$éoxw8"2e2ikçmçm3 t. i would face . >> did you feel abandoned or ? did this present to your first that of release? [unintelligible] i think through the coordination of security services -- it meant nothing to

me. it meant a lot for the other people, but not for me. >> why did it not happen again? [unintelligible] >> one question at a time, please. [foreign speaking] >> it was the egyptian national security that mediated your release. there was an attempt by the

germans. why was this mediation a success? >> why was this mediation successful, especially when the egyptian mediation was a part. the corporation of hamas and the israelis. relationship helped the conclusion of the deal. >> what have you missed most while in captivity and what is the first thing you wanted the when you get home?

>> obviously, i miss my family a lot. and also i miss my friends. people, talking to them, to tell them about my experience through captivity. i have alúl7!r644j çgrttéjqg)m free. >> has this made you stronger? >> what are the lessons you have

learned from your captivity? to conclude an important lesson. it is the conclusion to be a free prisoners in such a short time. -- a free prisoner in such a short time. >> you have known what it is like to be in captivity. lçh[!o#tcswocç;n;áok[ç3?ne still in israeli jails. >> [foreign speaking]

>>ñ?ñ?ñ?ñ i will be very happy l of the prisoners are free. that is so that they can be able to go back to their families and loved ones.

it would give me great happiness if this would happen. >> what are your plans for the future? >> i hope that this deal will help the conclusion between the israelis and the palestinians. i hope that corp. between the two sides will be consolidated. -- that cooperation between the two sides will be consolidated. thank you very much. >> an interview there with gilad shalit. an extraordinary man for a man who looks so overwhelmed and in all of what has happened to him.

palestinians. he said he would be very happy whenfññ?ñ?ñ?ñ all of the prisone free and can go back to their families. we will bring you more as we get it. but as kobach to john donovan. -- let us go back to john donovan. about 180 palestinian prisoners have crossed into gaza now. somewhere in the distance, a few hundred meters behind me, they will be driven year into the square. they will lead to their relatives who are all around the square. they will have celebration, a lot of emotion here. these people are returning as

heroes. >> a number of them having to go straight on. they will not be going back to gaza or the west bank but turkey. >> can you repeat that? >> i was making the point that some of them will not be able to return home. they will be deported and moving on to other countries, notably where hamas compromised where they did this deal in the past. some would be sent to countries such as turkey and possibly syria. they also mentioned catarrqatar. zvl-0;3óçw3t(çç?; ofw3e moved to

bank. wtñ?ñ?ñ?ñfamilies from the westl not be able to get into gaza tuesday the prisoners. >> we will report as soon as that movement happens. 5"v)rái?;?ççoñdg[jtyñsc=4xcd you. israeli.yñ?ñ?ñ? ceo and foundee israel palestine center for research information. a mediator for the release of gilad shalit. watching gilad shalit speak himself. it must be a crowning moment for you in terms of a sense of achievement. >> it certainly is an extraordinary moment. it is hard not to be filled with emotions now. i spoke with the chief israeli

negotiator. gilad shalit is in our hands now. the involvement has been since the third day of the kidnapping 5.5 years ago when hamas called me and said the electricity is off and we are being bombed. from that moment, three days after the kidnapping in june 2006, i have been trying to bring people together behind channels. i believe this should have been done a long time ago. we spoke with hamas and israeli counterparts and could give produced disagreement a long time ago. >> why did not this happen ago? why now? is a netanyahu said we have no other way of bringing him

home and he has been there too long. that was the moment he appointed a mediator. the prime minister is primarily irresponsible for this decision. and it was entering the international arena. he needs to find an alternative safety place such as egypt. there was a readiness on both sides to reach an agreement, od]i_ñól( what is going on in they needed to boost their support in gaza. there was a back channel that myself and the deputy prime minister of the hamas government that was a counterpart in these discussions. we provided the table and the communications from the

different sides. ununwthere was a direct channelf communication where we could negotiate to the principles for an agreement that could be negotiated through the egyptians for a final deal. >> let me ask you about the palestinian prisoners and here they are in fact. how much negotiation and compromise had to be reached in terms them? >> it was the numbers. there was a significant compromise. israel refused to release some of the most difficult terrorists, the single people with possible for executing suicide bombings against israel, but engineers at the terrorism seen during early 2010's and 1990's. "uá @ to except that they could not

release those. they were at the top of the list. palestinian side that there was no way israel would allow those people to be released. they needed to compromise. document that talked about fidelity and the closing of the agreement. the most çó7; that the mediator called the vip category. palestinians agreed that most of them would be departed forever. this is the first time in 5.5 years that they reached a compromise. >> given your role in this, do you draw any sense of hope or optimism or confidence that this move can lead to a building block rather than a runoff? gilad shalit said he would be happy when all of the prisoners

are released and able to go to their families, i do not get much sense that people on either side believe it will lead to anything. >> there are a couple of things could play. one was the normalization of the regulation of the relations between israel and gaza -- gaza, predicted there is the underground economies and moving them above ground. in the league in the gaza economy to the west bank once again. -- and really linking the gaza economy to the west bank once again. economic development needs more moderation. >> i am sorry,

thank you as well. gilad shalit, the israeli soldier is back on israeli soil and has given his first interview to express his release. you are watching "bbc world news." >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. union bank. and shell. >> this is kim - about to feel one of his favorite sensations. at shell, we're developing more efficient fuels in countries like malaysia that can help us get the most from our energy resources. let's use energy more efficiently. let's go. ♪

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