Hamas releases abducted German TV cameraman

[Behind the Aegis]

A Palestinian cameraman for German broadcaster ARD says he has been freed by the violent Islamic Hamas movement after being held without contact
with his family or lawyers for five days in Gaza.

Sawah Abu Seif, 42, told The Associated Press he was released in the early hours of Thursday but refused to say whether he had been abused by his captors.

"I'm fine, I'm excellent and I'm at home, he said."

Masked Hamas gunmen took Abu Seif from his Gaza home during a mass weekend roundup of alleged activists of the rival Fatah movement. Hamas blamed Fatah for an explosion earlier in Gaza City that killed five Hamas members and a 6-year-old girl.

ARD shut down its Gaza Strip office Wednesday to protest the arrest, and ARD bureau chief Richard C. Schneier told the Associated Press that Abu Seif was not active in Fatah.

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