One Israeli exchanged for one thousand Palestinians? What kind of a deal is that, asks <b>Chris Roper</b>

Israeli Gilad Shalit has been freed after years as a Hamas prisoner, as hundreds of Palestinians exchanged for him received a hero’s welcome in Gaza.

The deal with Hamas will see over 1 000 Palestinian prisoners walk free: the highest price ever paid by Israel for the release of a single person.

Israeli and Hamas officials have agreed on a prisoner-swap deal to secure the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Hamas blamed Israel on Tuesday for stalling efforts to swap hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for a captured soldier.

An Israeli minister said on Tuesday that a deal with Hamas to swap a Gaza-held soldier for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners was "very close".

Ehud Olmert has suspended his pointman for the Gaza truce talks in Egypt after he launched a scathing tirade against the outgoing premier last week.

Israel decided on Wednesday against lifting a Gaza border blockade until Hamas agreed to release a captured Israeli soldier.

The fate of an Israeli soldier should not be linked to talks on a long-term truce with Hamas in Gaza, president Hosni Mubarak said on Tuesday.

Gaza militants fired two rockets into southern Israel on Friday, only hours after a senior Hamas member said the Islamists had accepted a truce deal.

Former United States president Jimmy Carter said on Monday Hamas leaders told him they would accept a peace agreement negotiated by their rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud…