Beitunia, West Bank  - Israel late Friday morning freed 18 female Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a videotape of its abducted soldier Gilad Shalit.

About seven Red Cross jeeps crossed from the Israeli Ofer military base through the Beitunia military checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah, entering into Palestinian autonomous territory.

Relatives who had been waiting on the Palestinian side of the checkpoint ran around the vehicles as they entered, in a bid to spot their loved ones. They kissed and hugged the released prisoners as they disembarked. (dpa)