The British aid worker kidnapped with her parents in Gaza last week has vowed to stay on to help the Palestinian people despite her ordeal.
In a joint statement, Kate Burton and her mother and father said they had been treated well by their captors. ‘We are glad these last few days are over and we would like to express our gratitude to the Palestinian Authority, the British government and all groups and individuals in Gaza and worldwide who have been supporting us,’ the statement said.
”We are in good health and have been treated extremely well through the ordeal. Kate Burton plans to stay in the region and continue working with the Palestinian people.
”Kate remains committed and passionate about working alongside the Palestinians to improve their external image and alleviate the difficult conditions being suffered by the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.”
The British Foreign Office strongly denied on Saturday night that a deal was struck with the kidnappers of the aid worker, who was released late on Friday night after being held hostage for two and a half days in Gaza.
Burton (24) and her parents — Hugh (73) and Helen (55) known as Win — were seized last Wednesday in the southern city of Rafah. Their kidnappers, members of a previously unknown Palestinian group called the Mujahideen Brigades, issued a statement claiming they had freed the three after receiving assurances from Britain and the European Union that they would work to end the Israeli ”no go” zone in northern Gaza.
But British diplomats issued a rebuttal on Saturday night, claiming they had given the kidnappers no such undertaking. ”We never give any assurances or negotiate. That’s our standard policy,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said.
News of the Burtons’ release brought joy to their neighbours in Newbury, Berkshire. One of them, Frances Berry, said she was ”absolutely delighted”, adding: ”They are really such lovely people. Now 2005 can end on a good note.”
On Saturday night a clearer picture of the chaos surrounding the release started to emerge. On Friday evening the kidnappers agreed to free them once the group had produced a video attacking Britain’s role in the Middle East and threatening further kidnappings if the international community failed to put pressure on Israel to stop bombing the north of Gaza.
In the video Kate Burton (24) was shown looking tense but collected as a masked man read a statement outlining the demands. The video production was halted by a power cut, and the kidnappers had difficulties editing the footage, setting back the release three hours.
The kidnappers then insisted on delivering the Burtons to their Gaza City hotel, but changed their mind when they saw large numbers of media and police there.
Eventually a British official persuaded the kidnappers to meet him in a side street, and the three were released. The official managed to take hold of Kate Burton and her mother, but Hugh Burton panicked when he saw a jeep pull up with armed men who, it transpired, were plainclothes Palestinian police.
Fearing he was going to be kidnapped again, Burton sprinted towards the hotel 100 yards away where he was intercepted, calmed and bundled in a car.
The three were driven from Gaza to Jerusalem, where they had been booked to spend the night in the luxurious American Colony hotel, but instead they chose to stay with friends.
During the journey the Burtons gave some details of their captivity, but British security officials have yet to carry out a full debriefing.
Kate spent much of her time in ideological discussions with her captors, and is believed to be reluctant to provide much information on them for fear of becoming a target on her return to Gaza.
British sources said she was finding it hard to accept that she had been a victim of a crime and deprived of her liberty. – Guardian Unlimited Â