Kidnapped Brits released in Gaza

Human rights activist Kate Burton and her visiting parents Hugh and Helen - who were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip two days ago - were released Friday night, a Palestinian official confirmed.

A previously unknown group calling itself Brigades of the Mujahideen-Jerusalem said it seized the three Brits to demand British and European pressure on Israel and freed them as a gesture of goodwill.

The Burtons passed through Gaza City briefly before being whisked away towards Israel in diplomatic cars with darkened windows.

"They are well and in good spirits. They are currently with officials from our Consulate General in Jerusalem," said a statement from the British Foreign Office.

"She was not hurt, her parents were okay and she plans to visit Gaza next week," said Adnan Hajjar, a colleague of Burton's. "Kate said she was sorry that she could not make it to the hotel to greet everybody."

In a video released to media, a masked gunman read out a message standing next to Kate Burton, who appeared with her hands behind her back.

"We have decided to pardon the three Britons as a gesture of goodwill in return for a seriousness in answering our demands," the gunman said.

'Kidnappings harm and destroy Palestinian interests'

Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said he was pleased the hostages had been released.

"We urge all Palestinians to make this incident the last of the kidnappings of foreigners or anybody else," he said. "This harms and destroys Palestinian interests."

Earlier, family members issued a

statement through the British Foreign Office expressing deep concern for the fate of the three.

"We are a close family, and are naturally deeply concerned about our parents and sister. Kate is a warm and loving person, and has been working as a volunteer in Gaza for the past year, trying to do what she can to help the situation there," the statement read.

A spokesman for the office said they were in close contact with the Palestinian Authority and were expecting their release soon.

Following the Burton's abduction, PA officials and various opposition groups condemned the kidnapping, calling it an “embarrassment” detrimental to the Palestinians’ image throughout the world.

Several dozen Palestinians protested in Gaza, demanding the immediate release of the three Britons.

Witnesses said the three were shoved into a Mercedes, which then headed north while being chased local security forces.

A number of recent kidnappings

Palestinian police set up

roadblocks in south Gaza as part of the effort to retrieve the kidnapped family.

As opposed to previous kidnapping incidents in Gaza, which usually end within a span of a few hours, the Brits have been held hostage for more than a day now, a fact that concerns PA officials despite an Interior Ministry statement claiming that the identity of the kidnappers is known and that that they belong to a “weak” organization.

A number of incidents in which foreigners have been kidnapped took place in the Strip in recent months; in most cases the kidnappers demanded ransom, jobs in the Palestinian security forces or the release of their relatives from PA jails. 

News agencies contributed to the report