IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazy has watched the video of Gilad Shalit, and given the green light to release the remaining Palestinian prisoners.

The video is said to show Shalit looking healthy and sounding coherent.

The video is now on its way to the Shalit family, and will also be watched by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

Israel agreed to release 20 Palestinian woman prisoners in exchange for the video, the first released of Shalit since his capture in 2006.

International aid organisations are denied access to the solider and no news has been heard from him since a letter in 2008 and an audio message in 2007.

Egyptian and German mediators negotiated the decision to release the women in exchange for the video.