Gaza militants abduct foreign photographer

GAZA, Jan 1 (Reuters) Palestinian militants kidnapped a Peruvian photographer working for the French press agency in the Gaza Strip today, Agence France-Presse and Palestinian security sources said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the abduction of Jaime Razuri.

Militants in Gaza have often abducted foreigners in the past, usually to try to put pressure on the Palestinian government to give them jobs.

The photographer was seized while entering the agency's office in Gaza City.

In two separate incidents in October, gunmen in Gaza seized and held a Spanish aid worker and a photographer working for the Associated Press news agency for several hours.

In August, Gaza militants kept two journalists from the U S Fox News channel captive for two weeks.

REUTERS LL VC2125