Palestinians, French kidnapped in Gaza

A senior Palestinian security official has been seized by armed men late on Friday in the occupied Gaza Strip, the second such incident in less than six hours.

Colonel Khalid Abu Aloula, Director of Military Coordination in southern Gaza, was taken from his car as he returned to Gaza City from the town of Khan Yunis on Friday, reported Aljazeera's correspondent.

Palestinian security officials said the kidnappers were Palestinian policemen who had recently been fired from their jobs. The officials said that earlier in the day Aloula had refused their request to help reinstate them.

Palestinian security officials also said five French citizens were kidnapped by armed Palestinian men as they drank coffee in Khan Yunis on Friday.