CAIRO ? Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal says 450 prisoners will be released within a week, and the rest of 1,027 prisoners two months later in the swap deal that secures the release of Israeli soldier in captivity since 2006.
Mashaal described Tuesday the prison exchange as "national achievement" for the Palestinians.
He said more than 300 Palestinians sentenced to life sentences will be freed along with all 27 Palestinian women in Israeli prisons. It is not clear at what stage the Israeli Sgt. Gilad Schalit will be released.
Speaking in a televised address from Damascus, Syria, Mashaal said he was pained not to be able to release all the remaining prisoners.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's prime minister says a captured Israeli soldier held by Hamas militants will be home in the "coming days" after a prisoner exchange was agreed on.
Benjamin Netanyahu said late Tuesday that a deal with Hamas was initialed last Thursday and signed earlier Tuesday.
The deal would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including many convicted in deadly attacks on Israelis, in exchange for Sgt. Gilad Schalit.
Netanyahu said in a televised address that he understands the pain of Israeli families who have lost loved ones to Palestinian violence. But he said he got "the best deal we could get" given the turmoil in the region.
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