exciting!

They would release Schalit, and that would strengthen their stance against abbas who wants to eliminate them. But we shall see these things fall apart most of the time.

I can't be the only one thinking this, but withe lockerbie bomber's release last week, does anyone else thing that played a hand in this sudden alleged deal? Of course, everything is a conspiracy, and who knows if he will actually be released without harm. I just find it to be a curious connection in time, am I just over-analyzing this one?

nothing. i hope his parents have a thick skin.

What happens when another IDF warrior is kidnaped?

I have seen this headline a dozen times. I will believe it when I see Gilad embraced by his parents

THE PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS CAN BE CONTAINED AND SUPERVISED THERE. Orao.

Won't it be a surprise when 1000 terrorists are released and Israel gets back a bag of bones?

Hope it doesn't happen, although I have no doubts that it will. People have no understanding of cause and effect; releasing 100s of terrorists for Shalit will only encourage future kidnappings. Not to mention that man, many of these prisoners have Israeli blood on their hands. One soldier just isn't worth it (and Israel could have had Shalit back if it had been much more aggressive in Cast Lead - i.e., no halt until Israel had Shalit back).

Commentator Number 10 said Israel should be more aggressive. Oh well, ynet, have courage to publish this, the Israeli aggression is what caused Shalit's abduction, its ongoing, outlawed criminal occupation of Palestine is the reason, and if you believe Israel wasn't aggressive in its offensive then how do you justify the killing of 1600 Palestinians, most of them women and children, medics and elderly, digressive is Israel's first, middle, and last name. it mush end its occupation of Palestine, it must stop its war crimes committed by the ISRAELI OFFENSIVE ARMY another big lie is Israel calling itself Defense Forces, excuse me, the Hagana, the stem of Israel's army, was formed by a bunch of fascist gangs, who murdered and ethnically cleansed thousands of Palestinians living in their homeland, the place Israel calls its own.

I keep telling you people and you won't listen. Shalit was not kidnapped. He was CAPTURED. He was an enemy soldier firing at the homes and farmland of noncombatant civilians, and that made him a terrorist as well as an enemy soldier. Palestinians crossed the Israeli border to stop their property from destruction and their civilians from being murdered by Shalit and his squad. In doing so they made a legitimate CAPTURE of an enemy who was dangerous to their civilian population.

Sorry, but I don't trust these rumors. How do we know he is alive or not? Please don't fall for this trap again.

steve, would you please get to know how the palastenian authorities headed by Abbas is treating the indigenous palastinian christian population. with their persecution and constant harrasement .they have reduce them from 25 % to 5% in the west bank only in the last 10 years. does that please you? you are surely dupped by the moslem propaganda of these thugs (palastinian who are calling for a home land in Israel that has never ever been their home to begin with!)

I know that Shalit's family and friends want him back, even if it's just a bag of bones. They have probably been in a lot of torment since his capture. Anyone with a heart would feel for them. I also know that the families of those killed by terrorists, that may be released in a deal, also suffer the loss of their loved ones. Think of how these families will suffer when the murderers loved ones are set free. I don't see any 'big win' here. No matter what happens, either Shalit's family or terrorist victims' families will suffer. I don't want to sound hard-hearted towards the Shalits, but I think if his freedom (or body return) lets murderers go free, it's not in the best interest of Israel as a whole.