Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and hundreds of Palestinians crossed Israel's borders in opposite directions on Tuesday. The following is a timeline of events since Shalit was captured more than five years ago June 25, 2006 - Hamas militants launch raid into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing two soldiers and capturing Shalit. June 28 - Israeli troops invade the Gaza Strip. Sept 15 - Letter from Shalit reaches his family via Egyptian mediators brokering a prisoner swap deal. Oct 1 - Worst internal Palestinian fighting in a decade raises fears of a civil war in Gaza. Nov 26 - Ceasefire in Gaza announced, ends five months of Israeli air strikes and incursions that fail to free Shalit. June 14, 2007 - Hamas takes over Gaza from Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. June 25 - Israeli TV airs audio tape from Shalit's captors asking for medical treatment and release of Palestinians. Sept 8 - Israeli special forces disguised as Hamas gunmen abduct Hamas commander to be used as "bargaining chip." Dec 26 - Hamas says Shalit won't be freed unless Israel frees 1,400 Palestinian prisoners, many long-term. April 24, 2008 - Hamas leader offers Israel six-month truce in Gaza but says fate of Shalit separate issue. May 12 - Israel says ceasefire deal must include Shalit. Talks falter over Israel's refusal to reopen Gaza's border. June 9 - Israeli television says Shalit's family receives hand-written letter from their son. June 17 - Israel and Hamas agree to Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Sept 25 - Hamas rejects list of prisoners Israel is ready to free in exchange for Shalit, saying it wants more. Dec 19 - Fragile six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expires as they fail to agree on terms to extend truce. Dec 27 - Israel launches 22-day military offensive in the Gaza Strip. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis are killed. Jan 18, 2009 - Israel and Hamas cease fire in Gaza. Sept 30 - Israel and Hamas confirm deal to exchange proof that Shalit is alive for release of 20 female Palestinians. Oct 2 - Video is handed over and authenticated in which Shalit looked "pale but in good health". Nov 25 - Israel rejects a demand for the release of several Hamas commanders as part of any exchange for Shalit. June 27, 2010 - Shalit's parents begin march from home to PM Benjamin Netanyahu's residence to press for prisoner swap. April 9, 2011 - The Israeli military says that Tayser Abu Snima, a top Hamas militant, killed in a raid, was "directly and physically involved" in Shalit's capture. Oct 11 - Israeli and Hamas officials say a deal has been reached to swap Shalit for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Oct 16 - Israel buses hundreds Palestinian prisoners under heavy guard to a holding facility in the Negev desert in preparation for them to be exchanged for captive Shalit. Oct 18 - Shalit is taken across the frontier from the Gaza Strip into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and driven to Israel's Vineyard of Peace border crossing, where a helicopter flew him to an air base for a reunion with his parents. Simultaneously Israel freed 477 prisoners, most of them in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas leaders greeted former prisoners piling off buses bearing Red Cross insignia.
