Tension has been mounting in Gaza Strip since a group calling itself the Holy Jihad Brigades released a video of two Fox News Channel journalists it said it kidnapped last week. In a statement with the video on August 23, the previously unknown group demanded the release of prisoners held by the United States within 72 hours in exchange for the journalists, an American and a New Zealander. The group did not say what would happen if its demands were not met.
Correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, appeared in good health in the video, which was obtained August 23 by the Gaza-based news service Ramattan. They were kidnapped August 14 from the heart of Gaza City. Until this video there had been no word from the journalists or indication of who was behind the abduction, in contrast to previous journalist kidnappings in Gaza.
"We are relieved that our colleagues are alive and appear in good health," said Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Executive Director Joel Simon. "But we remain deeply concerned that these professional journalists are being held against their will. We urge their kidnappers to set them free immediately."
In the video, Centanni and Wiig were seated on the floor. Centanni, a US citizen, said that the journalists were in "fairly good condition" and that they were being treated well. "Just want to let you know I'm here and alive and give my love to my family and friends and ask you to do anything you can to try to help us get out of here," Centanni said.
Wiig, a New Zealander based in London, added: "If you could apply any political pressure on the local government here in Gaza and the West Bank that would be much appreciated by Steve and myself."
In Washington, the US State Department dismissed the kidnappers' demands. "We don't make concessions to terrorists, and we continue to call for the release of these journalists without conditions," State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said. He added that the State Department had no information on the group that has claimed responsibility for kidnappings
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and leading journalists' groups from around the Arab world have appealed to regional governments and to Palestinian leaders to put more pressure on groups who are kidnapping journalists and media staff. Journalists unions in Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain, Algeria, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, supported also by the Federation of Arab Journalists, have issued appeals to their local governments and to Palestinian political leaders to intervene urgently to secure the release of Centanni and Wiig.
The groups said in a joint statement, "We appeal to political leaders of all parties and governments within the Arab world to use their influence to try to secure the release of our two colleagues. These kidnappings are a threat to all of us and cast a shadow over journalism not just in Palestine, but throughout the region.
"Taking journalists or other media staff hostage is a frightening and intolerable form of intimidation that not only threaten press freedom and the lives of innocent civilians it does incalculable harm to the Palestinian cause and the democratic aspirations of all people in the region."
"The situation has changed with their kidnapping being claimed by an unknown group that is making absolutely unrealistic demands," Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) said. "This resembles the methods used in the cases of journalists abducted in Baghdad. We are now in an Iraq-style situation and we need a massive campaign for their release."
RSF continued: "Ten journalists have been kidnapped in the past two years in the Palestinian Territories but almost all of them were freed within hours. This is the first time a kidnapping has lasted so long and a demand has been made. We are nonetheless relieved to see that these two journalists are still alive and we reiterate our support for their families."
The organisation added: "For more than a year, we have regularly drawn the attention of the Palestinian authorities to the growing dangers to which local and foreign journalists working in the Gaza Strip are exposed. It is now their duty to do everything possible to ensure that these two journalists are quickly reunited with their families."
Once rare, journalist abductions in the Gaza Strip have increased over the last two years, according to CPJ. At least seven other journalists have been kidnapped during that time. All have been released unharmed and usually after several hours. The journalist held the longest was French national Mohammad Ouathi, a soundman for France 3 television. He was held for eight days last year before being released unharmed.
Fox News welcomed news of its staff. "We're encouraged that our colleagues appear to be alive and well in the tape that was released today," said John Moody, Fox's senior vice president for news in New York. "We trust that the abductors understand they are responsible for Steve and Olaf's welfare and safe return. We ask for their immediate release."
The Fox News journalists' kidnappings have been widely condemned by Palestinian officials and journalists. Hamas, the Islamic group that leads the Palestinian government, issued a statement calling the abductions morally reprehensible. The two main journalists' associations in Gaza have also launched appeals. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, a union controlled by the Palestinian Authority, and the Palestinian Journalists' Block, a committee run by Palestinian journalists, both issued statements calling for the release of the Fox News team.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Press Association in Israel has warned its members of kidnapping threats against foreign journalists in Gaza. It said in a statement August 23 it was passing on "warnings currently being circulated by credible sources of plans to abduct foreign journalists working in Gaza.
"The most recent threat applies specifically to British and American passport holders, but we feel all members should exercise extreme caution in the coming days." FPA, which represents 400 journalists working for international news organisations in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, stressed: "The threat of further abductions following the recent kidnapping of two journalists from Fox News is considered to be a real one."
