US journalist kidnapped in Gaza

Masked Palestinian gunmen ambushed a car carrying a news crew for a US broadcaster in Gaza City today and kidnapped two of the journalists inside, according to witnesses.

Fox News confirmed the abductions in a statement.

A Fox employee in Gaza said the two hostages were American reporter Steve Centanni and a cameraman from New Zealand.

The men, along with a bodyguard, were parked near the headquarters of the Palestinian security services when two lorries filled with masked gunmen pulled up and boxed them in, according to the employee.

The gunmen took the crew out of their 4x4, 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 and set up roadblocks to find the gunmen and free the reporters, said Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for the men to be freed.

“We are gravely concerned about our colleagues’ safety and call for their immediate and unconditional release,” said CPJ executive director Joel Simon.

“These are well established journalists who are not participants in the conflict. They should be treated accordingly and freed.”

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.