Israel has formally signed a deal with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to exchange prisoners.

An Israeli statement said the agreement had been signed "in the presence of a UN representative".

Under the deal, two Israeli soldiers - seized in a 2006 raid and believed to be dead - will be handed over.

The bodies of fighters killed during years of conflict between the Five killed in Gaza incursions ...
Hezbollah seizes large parts of Beirut ...
Syria says it has received Israeli peace offer ... two sides will also be handed over by Israel, which has already begun exhuming them.

The capture of Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev triggered a 34-day war between Israel and the Hezbollah movement.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said he believes the pair are dead. Hezbollah has not confirmed that.

The Israeli cabinet agreed the exchange a week ago.

Hezbollah's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, has also said the group will provide information on missing Israeli airman Ron Arad.

Samir Qantar, who has been in jail since 1979 for his part in a deadly guerrilla raid, will be among the Lebanese prisoners handed over by Israel.

(BBC)

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