Palestinians Join Search for Abducted Journalists

Palestinian security forces searched for two abducted Fox News journalists Tuesday, and the Palestinian Authority president and prime minister intervened in an attempt to gain their release.

President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh scheduled meetings with the news organization’s Jerusalem bureau chief, Eli Fastman, and its chief correspondent in Israel, Jennifer Griffin.

The prime minister assured the Fox News representatives that Palestinian security forces would use all their power to “put an end to it soon,” government spokesman Ghazi Hamad said.

American reporter Steve Centanni, 60, and New Zealand cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, were seized by masked gunmen Monday near the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority security services.

“The family’s holding up OK,” Centanni’s brother, Ken, said Tuesday from his San Jose, Calif., home. He said the family had heard nothing from the kidnappers.

No one has claimed responsibility for the abductions, and police said no demands had been made. Major militant groups denied any connection to the kidnappings.

In fighting early today, an Israeli airstrike blew up a house in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, killing two people and wounding at least four, hospital officials said.

The Israeli army said militants had used the house as a weapons storehouse and that residents were warned to leave before the strike.

Also today, the army said it shot two Palestinians trying to infiltrate Israel from Gaza. But the army could not confirm whether they were killed.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip on June 28 after Hamas-linked militants tunneled under the border, killing two soldiers and capturing one, Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Khaled abu Hilal, a spokesman for the Palestinian Authority Interior Ministry, called on Palestinians to give authorities any information they had regarding the missing journalists.

Nabil abu Rdainah, an Abbas aide, said the president ordered all security forces to work on finding the two journalists.

“This is an unacceptable act. We condemn this operation and hope we will succeed to find a peaceful solution very soon,” he said.

An investigator in the case said authorities were focusing on a renegade group from an established Palestinian militant organization, but he declined to give additional details.