-
Military riad kills two.
Hamas militants launch raid into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing two soldiers and capturing Shalit.
- Image via Getty Images -
Invasion ignites violence.
Israeli troops invade the Gaza Strip.
- Image via AmericanMissive.com -
A message from the abducted.
Letter from Shalit reaches his family via Egyptian mediators brokering a prisoner swap deal.
- Image via TheBlaze.com -
The brink of civil war.
Worst internal Palestinian fighting in a decade raises fears of a civil war in Gaza. -
Ceasefire eases tension.
Ceasefire in Gaza announced, ends five months of Israeli air strikes and incursions that fail to free Shalit.
Read more about the cease fire. -
Hamas takes Gaza.
Hamas takes over Gaza from Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. -
Audio from captors airs via Israeli TV.
Israeli TV airs audio tape from Shalit's captors asking for medical treatment and release of Palestinians.
- Photo of Shalit's captors. -
Hamas commander abducted.
Israeli special forces disguised as Hamas gunmen abduct Hamas commander to be used as "bargaining chip." -
A call for freedom.
Hamas says Shalit won't be freed unless Israel frees 1,400 Palestinian prisoners, many long-term. -
Negotiations begin.
Hamas leader offers Israel six-month truce in Gaza but says fate of Shalit separate issue. -
Israel demands Shalit's release.
Israel says ceasefire deal must include Shalit. Talks falter over Israel's refusal to reopen Gaza's border. -
A letter makes it home.
Israeli television says Shalit's family receives hand-written letter from their son. -
Israel and Hamas agree to end violence.
Israel and Hamas agree to Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. -
Hamas demands more freed prisoners.
Hamas rejects list of prisoners Israel is ready to free in exchange for Shalit, saying it wants more. -
Ceasefire comes to an end.
Fragile six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expires as they fail to agree on terms to extend truce. -
Violence continues. Israel goes on offense.
Israel launches 22-day military offensive in the Gaza Strip. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis are killed. -
Another chance at peace.
Israel and Hamas cease fire in Gaza. -
Proof of life frees 20 Palestinian women.
Israel and Hamas confirm deal to exchange proof that Shalit is alive for release of 20 female Palestinians. -
Video confirms Shalit's survival.
Video is handed over and authenticated in which Shalit looked "pale but in good health." -
Israel rejects the release of Hamas commanders.
Israel rejects a demand for the release of several Hamas commanders as part of any exchange for Shalit. -
Shalit's family marches for release.
Shalit's parents begin march from home to PM Benjamin Netanyahu's residence to press for prisoner swap. -
Hamas militant responsible for abduction is killed.
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. -
Israel and Hamas set terms for prisoner swap.
Israeli and Hamas officials say a deal has been reached to swap Shalit for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. -
Palestinian prisoners relocated in preparation for exchange.
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. -
Shalit is exchanged for Palistinian prisoners.
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. Simultaneously Israel freed 477 prisoners, most of them in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas leaders greeted former prisoners piling off buses bearing Red Cross insignia.
