For over a week, Hamas leadership has tried to get British journalist Alan Johnston released.
And he has now been freed.
The 45-year-old Briton was taken into the care of officials from the Hamas movement, which seized full control of Gaza three weeks ago.
"He is sitting with his colleagues from the BBC office in Gaza," one witness said. "He is talking to them and he looks fine and well".
One source involved in the effort to free Johnston said the journalist may join Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh for a news conference before being taken to British diplomats for a journey home that would involve him leaving the Gaza Strip for Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
Hamas: Battle for Alan Johnston’s release has begun
Hamas says it has launched military operation to release kidnapped BBC reporter, gunmen exchange fire with Army of Islam in Gaza City; Palestinians say bystander killed in the crossfire
Operation to release Alan Johnston begins: Hamas and the al-Qaeda inspired Army of Islam swapped prisoners on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip as mediators negotiated to free an abducted BBC reporter, a spokesman for a group of Palestinian mediators said.
Abu Mujahed, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella militant group in Gaza, said the "Army of Islam has released nine students and Hamas has released detained members of the Army of Islam."
Hamas forces have meanwhile surrounded an area in Gaza City inhabited by the clan where the Army of Islam has the bulk of its supporters, and where Hamas, which now controls Gaza, believes BBC journalist Alan Johnston is being held.
http://www.ynetnews.com/...