Gilad Shalit release – in pictures

Gilad Shalit after his release. Now 25, Shalit was seized by Hamas militants who tunnelled into Israel in 2006. He was 19 at the time Photograph: Egyptian TV/AFP/Getty Images Israelis hug outside the house of captive soldier Gilad Shalit in Mitzpe Hila, Israel, after hearing he has been handed over to Egyptian intermediaries Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Part of the Israeli prisons convoy carrying Palestinians arrives at Ofer prison between Jerusalem and Ramallah Photograph: AFP/Getty A Palestinian man waits at Beituniya checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah for the release of prisoners from Israeli jails Photograph: Darren Whiteside/Reuters A Palestinian man waits at the Beituniya checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah for the release of prisoners Photograph: Mohamad Torokman/Reuters A convoy of Israeli prison service buses carrying Palestinians prisoners arrives at Israel's Ofer prison between Jerusalem and Ramallah Photograph: Getty Hamas fighters patrol the border with Egypt at Rafah where the prisoner exchange is playing out Photograph: Said Khatib/AFP Members of the International Red Cross at the Rafah crossing with Egypt Photograph: AFP/Getty The Shalit family including Gilat's parents, Aviva and Noam (fourth right, second right), are escorted to a helicopter in Tefen, northern Israel, before being flown to meet him Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters Israeli soldiers patrol behind a fence at Tel Nof air force base in central Israel where Gilad Shalit will arrive back home Photograph: Jim Hollander/EPA An Israeli boy plays with a flag near the house of Gilad Shalit Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images An image taken from Egyptian state TV showing Gilad Shalit as he arrives in Egypt Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Palestinians wait for the release of Palestinian prisoners next to Bitunian checkpoint in Ramallah, West bank Photograph: Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images Soldiers at Tel Nof air base watch a news broadcast of Gilad Shalit's release Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters Shalit speaking on the phone to his family. Medical personnel have confirmed that he is in good health Photograph: Israel Defence Force/EPA The Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, waves to families of Palestinian prisoners during his arrival at the Rafah border crossing Photograph: Mohammed Saber/EPA The border gate closes as Palestinian prisoners enter Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters Gilad Shalit salutes in front of Israel's prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu upon his arrival at Tel Nof air base Photograph: GPO/Reuters A Palestinian prisoner is welcomed by a crowd following the release of hundreds of prisoners from Israeli jails at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah Photograph: Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images Supporters of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit celebrate his release at his family's protest tent outside the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem Photograph: Daniel Bar-On/AFP/Getty Images A Palestinian prisoner freed from an Israeli jail chants from on board a bus as it leaves the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing terminal Photograph: Khalil Hamra/AP Freed Palestinian prisoners are welcomed home by their friends and relatives upon their arrival in Ramallah, West Bank Photograph: Alaa Badarneh/EPA Palestinians celebrate the prisoner swap deal reached between Israel and Hamas outside Ofer prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah Photograph: KeystoneUSA-ZUMA/Rex Features Gilad Shalit walks with Israel's prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak (left) and Israeli army chief of staff, Lt General Benny Gantz (right) as the freed soldier lands in the Tel Nof Air Force base, Israel Photograph: Ariel Hermoni/EPA Palestinians from the West Bank wait for prisoners to be freed next to the Israeli military's Ofer prison Photograph: Atef Safadi/EPA A Palestinian prisoner hugs relatives after arriving in Mukata following her release Photograph: Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images A Palestinian freed from an Israeli jail lifts a boy as he arrives at the Rafah crossing border Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters Freed Palestinian prisoner Khalil Abu Olba is held aloft during a rally in Gaza City Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters Israelis wave flags as helicopters transporting Gilad Shalit and his family prepare to land at their home town of Mitzpe Hila Photograph: Gil Magen Cohen/AFP/Getty Images Released Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit leaves an army helicopter at Shalit's home town, Mitzpe Hila, in northern Israel Photograph: Dror Artzi/EPA