NZ Ambassador Arrives in Gaza

New Zealand's ambassador to Turkey and Israel arrived in Gaza last night to help secure the release of kidnapped Fox News journalists Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig.

Jan Henderson said Palestinian leaders were "very upset" about the kidnapping of the two Fox News journalists in Gaza on Monday and had assured the New Zealand diplomat they were doing everything they could to secure their release.

Ms Henderson told Associated Press Television News in Gaza she had made contact with diplomatic colleagues and senior Palestinian Authority figures, including in the office of the president, Mahmoud Abbas, immediately after arriving.

"They assured me they are doing all they can, they take this matter extremely seriously, and we are looking for a very quick and peaceful resolution to this particular kidnapping," she said. "The Palestinian Authority has offered every cooperation. They are very upset. They have condemned the kidnapping, and they assured me they are doing everything they can for a quick and speedy resolution."

American reporter Centanni, 60, and his cameraman, New Zealander Wigg, 36, were abducted from their TV van on Monday near the Palestinian security services' headquarters by unidentified gunmen

Major militant groups in Gaza denied having any connection to the incident and there was no immediate word of any demands made.

Earlier today, Wiig's wife, Anita McNaught - a former BBC World television presenter - told New Zealand radio by telephone from Gaza City that the only information she had was "rumours, sons of rumours ... none of which we give much credence to".

McNaught added that abductions in the region during the past year had not resulted in fatalities and described them as "local entrepreneurial banditry".