Hamas militants stand guard near Rafah Crossing through which Palestinian prisoners going to be freed in a prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel will enter the Gaza Strip on 18 October 2011 As Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier exchanged by Hamas for hundreds of Palestinian militants, crossed over at the Egypt-Israel border crossing of Kerem Shalom, a first group of Palestinian prisoners released by Israel crossed into freedom through the Egypt-Gaza crossing of Rafah, welcomed by senior officials of Hamas, and relatives. Photo by Ashraf Amra