Israel 's stated goals in Operation `` Summer Rains '' were to suppress Control the firing of Qassam rockets from Gaza into the western Negev , and to secure the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit , who had been captured Conquering by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on June 25 .

At the start of the incursion , Israel said Statement the operation could end Process_end if Shalit was released but noted Know that it had exhausted Expend_resource all the diplomatic means towards this end that it considered tenable .

Egypt acted as a mediator over the issue of the officer 's release , and on August 15 a senior Hamas official said Statement it would not release Releasing Shalit except in exchange for the release of thousands of Palestinian detainees by Israel .

When `` Autumn Clouds '' ended Process_end on November 26 with an Israeli withdrawal Escaping and ceasefire Process_end between Hamas and Israel , no deal for the release of Shalit had been reached Arriving .