Report: Agreement reached to free Gilad Shalit

A deal has been reached in which kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit will be exchanged for 1,400 Palestinian prisoners, the Qatar-based A-Sha'ark newspaper reported on Monday morning. According to the newspaper, the exchange will be completed within the next 48 hours. Israel Radio reported that as part of the agreement Israel would release funds to the Palestinian Authority, while suicide bombings and Kassam rocket attacks on Israel would cease.