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Raid begins
Hamas militants launch raid into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing two soldiers and capturing Shalit. -
Israeli troops invade
Israeli troops invade the Gaza Strip. -
Letters from Shalit
Letter from Shalit reaches his family via Egyptian mediators brokering a prisoner swap deal. -
Worst fighting in a decade
Worst internal Palestinian fighting in a decade raises fears of a civil war in Gaza. -
Ceasefire
Ceasefire in Gaza announced, ends five months of Israeli air strikes and incursions that fail to free Shalit. -
Hamas takes over Gaza
Hamas takes over Gaza from Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. -
Isreali media breaks the story
Israeli TV airs audio tape from Shalit's captors asking for medical treatment and release of Palestinians. -
Commander abduction
Israeli special forces disguised as Hamas gunmen abduct Hamas commander to be used as "bargaining chip." -
Shalit ransom
Hamas says Shalit won't be freed unless Israel frees 1,400 Palestinian prisoners, many long-term. -
Six-Month Truce
Hamas leader offers Israel six-month truce in Gaza but says fate of Shalit separate issue. -
Ceasefire talks
Israel says ceasefire deal must include Shalit. Talks falter over Israel's refusal to reopen Gaza's border. -
Shalit's handwritten letter
Israeli television says Shalit's family receives hand-written letter from their son. -
Egyptian-brokered ceasefire
Israel and Hamas agree to Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. -
Hamas rejects prisoner list
Hamas rejects list of prisoners Israel is ready to free in exchange for Shalit, saying it wants more. -
Ceasefire expires
Fragile six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expires as they fail to agree on terms to extend truce. -
Military offensive
Israel launches 22-day military offensive in the Gaza Strip. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis are killed. -
Ceasefire
Israel and Hamas cease fire in Gaza. -
Shalit's parents march home
Shalit's parents begin march from home to PM Benjamin Netanyahu's residence to press for prisoner swap. -
"Pale but in good health."
Video is handed over and authenticated in which Shalit looked "pale but in good health." -
Demands rejected
Israel rejects a demand for the release of several Hamas commanders as part of any exchange for Shalit. -
Snima killed in raid
The Israeli military says that Tayser Abu Snima, a top Hamas militant, killed in a raid, was "directly and physically involved" in Shalit's capture. -
Proof of life
Israel and Hamas confirm deal to exchange proof that Shalit is alive for release of 20 female Palestinians. -
One for Hundreds
Israeli and Hamas officials say a deal has been reached to swap Shalit for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. -
Under heavy guard
Israel buses hundreds Palestinian prisoners under heavy guard to a holding facility in the Negev desert in preparation for them to be exchanged for captive Shalit. -
Finally home
Shalit is taken across the frontier from the Gaza Strip into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and driven to Israel's Vineyard of Peace border crossing, where a helicopter flew him to an air base for a reunion with his parents. VIEW HOMECOMING
