Kidnapped Spanish journalists released

Two Spanish journalists were released Saturday after they were abducted by unknown Palestinian militants for two hours in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis, Palestinian security sources said.

The two journalists, who work for the El Pais Spanish daily, were taken to unknown place by a group of militants, as they were visiting the refugee camp of Khan Yunis, said the sources.

Palestinian militants groups, affiliated to the mainstream Fatah movement and radical Hamas movement, denied responsibility for abducting the two journalists, saying they coordinated in looking for the journalists and the militants who abducted them in the area.

The two journalists were found later near a house in al Amal neighborhood in the town of Khan Yunis, said the sources, adding they were then taken to the headquarters of the Palestinian preventive security in the area.

Abu Jihad, spokesman for the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, told reporters that the abduction was irresponsible and contradicted militant groups' agreement on not attacking journalists and international observers.

"The act is for personal reason. There is no militant group which claims responsibility for the abduction," said Abu Jihad.

Source: Xinhua