A week after they released two Fox News journalists in Gaza, Palestinian militants threatened on Sunday to kidnap and kill foreigners or Western journalists unless they convert to Islam or have Muslim prisoners exchanged for their release.

In a statement distributed in Gaza, the previously unknown group of Holy Jihad brigades said that "every unbeliever of Islam comes to the land of Palestine would be executed if he didn't turn into Islam before arriving" or refuses to convert to Islam after their capture.

Otherwise, the statement said that the only way for captives to save their souls is to be exchanged for Muslim prisoners.

On Aug. 14, the group snatched Fox correspondent Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig near Palestinian security services headquarter in Gaza City and demanded that the United States release Muslim prisoners held in its jails within 72 hours for their release.

However, the group released the American and New Zealander after two weeks without having their demands met, but said the two had changed their religion and converted to Islam.

In that time, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya has ruled out accounts that the group was linked with al-Qaida organization, saying that they were only "angry youths frustrated by the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories".

Source: Xinhua