Two Fox journalists kidnapped in the Gaza Strip last week said they were in "fairly good health" and appealed for help to secure their freedom, a videotape released today showed.
A previously unknown militant group, the "Holy Jihad Brigades", earlier claimed responsibility for the kidnapping nine days ago in the Palestinian coastal strip and demanded the United States release "Muslim prisoners" within 72 hours. It did not say what would happen if the demand was ignored.
Fox News Channel correspondent Steve Centanni, a 60-year-old American, and New Zealand cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, were shown sitting on a blanket on a floor. They sat against a black backdrop with no markings. No militants could be seen.
"We're alive and well, in fairly good health," Mr Centanni said, speaking in a clear and calm voice.
"Just want to let you know I'm here and alive and give my love to my family and friends and ask you to do anything you can to try to help us get out of here." Mr Centanni said they had been treated well.
Mr Wiig added:"I know my family will already be doing this, but if you could apply any political pressure ... both here in Gaza and the West Bank that would be much appreciated by both Steve and myself."
The video bore many hallmarks of tapes of captives issued by militants in Iraq, and the rhetoric of the group also mirrored the heavily religious language used by Iraqi insurgents.
Mr Centanni and Mr Wiig were abducted by masked gunmen in Gaza City on August 14th as they were working on a story.
Until today's statement, which contained verses from the Koran, no one had claimed responsibility for the abduction, which is now the longest-lasting in Gaza for more than a year.
Previous kidnappings - there have been at least seven involving foreigners since August 2005, when Israeli troops withdrew from Gaza after 38 years of occupation - have usually ended after a few hours, or at most a few days, of captivity.
Palestinian leaders including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the militant Islamist group Hamas have called for the release of the two captives.