Cheering crowds have greeted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit as he arrived back in his northern hometown of Mitzpe Hilla just before sunset, Tuesday, October 18, after more than five years in captivity in Gaza.

Gilad Shalit was released after Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas agreed on a prisoner swap deal under which more than 1,000 Palestinians would also be released. He was officially passed into Israeli custody earlier Tuesday, October 18, after spending 1,940 days in Hamas captivity.

Immediately following his release, Shalit spoke to his family on the phone, for the first time since being taken captive by Hamas, over five years ago. He arrived at the Israel Air Force base Tel Nof in central Israel shortly afterwards, where he saw his family for the first time in more than five years.

At the Tel Nof IAF base, Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed Shalit, greeting him: "Hello, Gilad. Welcome back to Israel. It's so good to have you back home."

More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed in exchange for the kidnapped Israeli soldier, many of whom are reportedly top Hamas operatives, including 280 terrorists sentenced for life.

Gilad Shalit exchange deal is seen as a victory for old-fashioned Israeli solidarity and sense of mutual responsibility, which is considered Israel's main asset in human and security terms.

Gilad Shalit (born August 28, 1986) was captured on June 25, 2006 by Hamas in a cross-border raid near Kerem Shalom, on Israeli territory, and dragged, wounded, into Gaza, where he was held as a hostage.

For over five years, since Gilad’s abduction, no information was received as to his whereabouts or the conditions of his captivity.

Gilad was not granted any visitation rights by the International Red Cross or any other humanitarian organization, as required by International Law.

The last sign of life during his captivity was received on October 2, 2009, when a 2:42-minute video film of Gilad was passed on to Israel in exchange for the release of 20 Palestinian prisoners. In the film Gilad is seen, in uniform, reading a pre-written text, calling on the Israeli Government to finalize an agreement for his release.

Following Gilad’s abduction, his family launched a campaign for his release. Activities include events designed to keep the release of Gilad on the public agenda, meetings with opinion makers and decision makers, in Israel and abroad, and continuous efforts to promote a release agreement.

In June 2010, four years after Gilad’s abduction, the Shalit family left their home in the north of Israel, in Mitzpe Hilla, on a march to Jerusalem. Over 200,000 people joined the family, showing their support for Gilad’s release.

On July 8, 2010, after the 12-day protest march, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of citizens, the Shalit family arrived at the Protest Tent in Jerusalem. The Protest Tent is located in front of the Prime Minister’s residence in order to put pressure on the Prime Minister to do what is required of him to return Gilad to his family and home.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens visited the Protest Tent, coming to show their support for Gilad’s release and to remind the Prime Minister that he has a soldier in captivity!!!.

Noam and Aviva Shalit, Gilad’s parents, announced at the time that they would not return home without Gilad.

Following the Cabinet approval of the prisoner exchange deal Tuesday, October 11, the Shalit family expressed joy and gratitude for the long awaited deal that would bring Gilad back home after more than five years in captivity and thanked the government for voting in favor of the swap deal. They also thanked their many supporters and well-wishers who stood in solidarity with them all along the way.

Speaking to the press near his home in Mitzpe Hilla Tuesday night, October 18, Noam Shalit said that Gilad is back home after a long, exhausting battle. He added that his son was suffering from a few minor injuries, as well as from the repercussions of lack of sunlight, but that other than that he was in good health.

Noam Shalit thanked the public and thousands of activists for their sympathy and support in the campaign to secure his son’s release. He also expressed gratitude for the Israeli military, the Police and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

(The Gilad Shalit website in English: http://www.gilad.org/eng)