2 foreign reporters kidnapped in Gaza
Palestinian gunmen ambush car carrying Fox News crew in Gaza City, kidnap two of the journalists inside
“We can confirm that two of our people were taken against their will in Gaza,” Fox News said in a statement. A Fox employee in Gaza, who declined to give his name because he was not authorized to release information about the incident, said the two kidnapped people were reporter Steve Centanni, a US Citizen, and a cameraman who was from New Zealand.
'This is not acceptable at all'
The men, along with a bodyguard, were parked near the headquarters of the Palestinian security services when two trucks filled with gunmen pulled up and boxed them in, according to the employee. The gunmen took the two reporters out of their sports utility vehicle, which was marked “TV,” and drove away, he said. Major militant groups in Gaza denied having any connection to the incident and there was no immediate word of any demands made.
Security officials put police across Gaza on alert to find the gunmen and free the reporters, said Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal.
“This is not acceptable at all,” he said. Several foreigners have been kidnapped in Gaza in recent months with their abductors demanding jobs from the Palestinian Authority or the release of people being held in Palestinian jails. All those kidnapped have been released within hours without harm.
The incident was the first in which foreign journalists were kidnapped since the Hamas-led government was elected to power.
The most recent kidnapping took place during the IDF operation in the Jericho Prison to seize those suspected of involvement in the assassination of Minister Rehavam Zeevi. During the siege, which lasted several hours, 17 foreigners were abducted in the Palestinian territories; all of the hostages were eventually released.
