Israeli and Palestinian officials say the Israeli government has reached a deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas to free captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Sources close to the Egyptian-mediated agreement say Hamas will exchange Shalit for the freedom of about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet was holding an urgent session Tuesday night to discuss the swap for Shalit, whom Hamas captured in June of 2006.

Mr. Netanyahu said late Tuesday that the soldier will be home within days.

The militant group demanded that Israel free thousands of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons in exchange for Shalit. Israel objected to Hamas demands for the release of some militants convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis.

The United States says the Middle East Quartet is calling for peace talks among Israelis and Palestinians in Jordan on October 23.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters Tuesday the request came after Quartet diplomats met on Sunday. She said the U.S., which is part of the Quartet along with the European Union, United Nations and Russia, is “hopeful that both parties will take up that offer.”

Earlier Tuesday, Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli troops outside a jail near the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The protesters were demonstrating in solidarity with Palestinian inmates who have gone on a hunger strike to protest prison conditions. Soldiers fired tear gas as protesters hurled stones and other objects at the troops. Several people were injured.

Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have joined the hunger strike that started two weeks ago. More than 6,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails for crimes ranging from killing Israelis to stone-throwing.

Israeli officials call the prison conditions satisfactory and say they may resort to force-feeding those on a hunger strike.