Israeli sources reported that hundreds of Israelis rallied in Mitzpe Hila where captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, is originally from, as it is his birthday on Friday.
Shalit was captured in 2006 after Palestinian fighters infiltrated into an Israeli military base; two soldiers and two fighters were killed in the attack.
Aviva, the mother of Shalit, said that the Palestinians also want Shalit freed, and that Palestinian families are waiting for their sons, imprisoned by Israel, to be freed.
She added that the Palestinians in Gaza are living in poverty, with their homes shelled and leveled, and that they are paying the price.
Among the protesters was Karnit and Shlomo Goldwasser, the widow and the father of Ehud Goldwasser, who was killed in the second Lebanon war in 2006, Israeli Ynet News reported.
Aviva symbolically addressed her captured son, and asked him to forgive his family for not being able to protect him and prevent his suffering.
Dozens of protesters also gathered near the Israeli Defense Headquarters in Tel Aviv, and demanded the Israeli government to act and do more for the release of Shalit.
On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel is committed to secure the release of Shalit, but added that the swap-deal will not be carried at any price.
He added that Israel is doing its best to free Shalit as soon as possible, but not at a price that would "harm Israel."
Last March, before former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had to leave office due to investigations on corruption charges, he said that Israel refused to release 125 detainees of the 450 Hamas is demanding in exchange for Shalit.
Israel also wanted the freed detainees to be deported to Gaza Strip and abroard, an issue which was rejected by Hamas.
Hamas said that the freed detainees should be allowed to return to their homes.
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