Unknown Palestinian militants abducted on Sunday night a foreign journalist who works for the French Television Channel III near one of the hotels on Gaza City beachside, a senior security official said early Friday.

Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfeeq Abu Khousa told reporters that the journalist is a French citizen with Algerian origins, adding that when he was abducted, he was together with another three French journalists.

"The unknown kidnappers left the three French journalists and abducted the half French, half Algerian journalist and took him to an unknown place," said Abu Khousa.

He added that Palestinian security and police forces had immediately started a campaign of search for the abducted journalist, strongly condemning the adduction.

"Abducting the foreign journalist is harming the cause of our Palestinian people who are preparing to celebrate the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip," said Abu Khousa.

He noted that tough instructions had been issued to all security forces to guarantee the release of the foreign journalist as immediate as possible and bring him back safe and secured.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had issued few days ago tough instructions to protect the foreign visitors, workers and journalists who visit the Gaza Strip.

Source: Xinhua