A people’s march in Israel

Hundreds have joined the parents of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as they head for Jerusalem to step up pressure on the government.

It is the second day of a 12-day journey which began at the family home and is expected to end outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He is reluctant to agree to the terms of a prisoner swap which would free Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. Hamas say they plan to snatch more Israeli troops unless their prisoners are set free:

Shalit, now 23, was captured in June 2006 by Palestinian militants who had tunnelled from the Gaza Strip into Israel. There has been little contact with him since.

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