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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| BBC reporter 'to be freed soon' | BBC reporter 'to be freed soon' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The UK Foreign Office says it is looking into reports that the kidnapped BBC Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston, may be released on Sunday. | |
| The reports came from a Hamas spokesman in Teheran, who said Mr Johnston could be released in the next few hours | |
| The BBC's David Loyn says nothing seems to have changed since Friday, when Hamas said it was taking serious and practical steps to secure the release. | |
| Mr Johnston, 45, was abducted on 12 March in Gaza City on his way home. | Mr Johnston, 45, was abducted on 12 March in Gaza City on his way home. |
| Palestinian militants purportedly belonging to a group called the Army of Islam posted a video on the internet on 1 June showing the first pictures of the reporter, in which he said he was being well treated. | Palestinian militants purportedly belonging to a group called the Army of Islam posted a video on the internet on 1 June showing the first pictures of the reporter, in which he said he was being well treated. |
| Mr Johnston was the only Western reporter permanently based in Gaza and his abduction has triggered appeals for his release from lawmakers and rights groups around the world. | Mr Johnston was the only Western reporter permanently based in Gaza and his abduction has triggered appeals for his release from lawmakers and rights groups around the world. |
| More than 160,000 people have now signed an online petition calling for his release. | More than 160,000 people have now signed an online petition calling for his release. |
| Pre-conditions | Pre-conditions |
| Speaking at a news conference in the Iranian capital, Hamas's representative said Mr Johnston would be released soon. | Speaking at a news conference in the Iranian capital, Hamas's representative said Mr Johnston would be released soon. |
| The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours Hamas representative Abu Osama al-Mouti | The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours Hamas representative Abu Osama al-Mouti |
| "The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours, today," Abu Osama al-Mouti said. | "The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours, today," Abu Osama al-Mouti said. |
| Mr Mouti said the group holding Mr Johnston had certain pre-conditions for his release, but that Hamas was trying to secure his freedom without meeting their demands. | Mr Mouti said the group holding Mr Johnston had certain pre-conditions for his release, but that Hamas was trying to secure his freedom without meeting their demands. |
| He said if Mr Johnston was not freed soon, it would only be because of concerns for his security. | He said if Mr Johnston was not freed soon, it would only be because of concerns for his security. |
| A spokesman for Hamas in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the Islamist group could confirm there were "intensive efforts to end the crisis of the abduction". | A spokesman for Hamas in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the Islamist group could confirm there were "intensive efforts to end the crisis of the abduction". |
| "There are encouraging indicators that he will be released in the near future, but we cannot determine this in terms of hours," he told Reuters. | "There are encouraging indicators that he will be released in the near future, but we cannot determine this in terms of hours," he told Reuters. |
| On Friday, Hamas said it would no longer allow the journalist to be held captive and that it was in contact with Mr Johnston's abductors. | On Friday, Hamas said it would no longer allow the journalist to be held captive and that it was in contact with Mr Johnston's abductors. |