Israel has decided to release 20 Palestinian women from detention in return for proof that its captured soldier Gilad Shalit is still alive.<br/><br/>According to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, the deal is done as per the proposal by Egyptian and German mediators as a confidence-building measure. Gilad Shalit has not been seen since his capture in a raid on an Israeli border base in 2006.<br/><br/>Egypt has been mediating a prisoner swap and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Israel needs to show flexibility. The Hamas group is demanding the release hundreds of prisoners in exchange for the soldier. Israel currently holds about 10,000 Palestinian prisoners.<br/>