MASKED Palestinian gunmen kidnapped a BBC reporter from his car in Gaza City on Monday, Palestinian security officials have said.

As he was being taken, the journalist threw a business card on the street that identified him as Alan Johnston of the BBC, the officials said.

Four gunmen carried out the kidnapping, and Johnston’s car was found abandoned near his Gaza City apartment, said the officials, who asked that their names not be used as they were not authorized to speak to the media.

After the kidnapping, Palestinian security forces set up security checks on roads leading out of Gaza City to the south.

The Hamas-led Palestinian Government said later yesterday it has information about who abducted a BBC correspondent in the Gaza Strip and expected him to be released soon.

“This issue is on its way to being solved, God willing. We have definite information regarding the parties behind this kidnapping,” said Hamas government spokesman Ghazi Hamad. Hamad offered no other details.

BBC said Johnston was from Scotland and has been reporting from Gaza for the past three years. (SD-Agencies)