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Israel and Palestine completed the first of a historic prisoner exchange on Tuesday. The swap a little lopsided, with one Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, being swapped for 1,027 Palestinians. The first 477 were on Tuesday and the rest will in December. The release of Mr Shalit was met with scenes of immense in Israel. Shalit, 25, was captured by Hamas in 2006. He has been the subject of intense and negotiations by the Israelis to his release. He was reunited with his family after five years on Tuesday evening. He was by helicopter to the northern Israeli village of Mitzpe Hila, where he received a hero’s welcome. He told journalists that he his family most while in captivity.

Both Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the Hamas Khaled Meshaal claimed the prisoner swap as a . Mr Netanyahu said: "On this day, we are all united in both joy and pain. Two-and-a-half years ago…one of the most important, complex I found on my desk was to return Gilad Shalit home alive and . Today that mission has been accomplished." Mr Meshaal said: "Negotiation based on power the enemy to the price. We have defeated the Israelis.” Palestinian Taghrid Faisha, whose son was by Israel, said: "It is a day for the family and we will hold celebrations.…These have been the hardest years in my . They were even more than the feeling of burning my body."