(29 Dec 2005)
1. Pick up truck loaded with soldiers driving through Khan Younis
2. Palestinian police doing stop and check on car (looking for British hostages)
3. Police convoy driving through street
4. Stop and checks being carried out on cars
5. Police checking boot of car
6. Close up armed policeman
7. Police checking documents of driver
8. Car pulling over to side of road
9. Driver getting out of car
10. Wide traffic driving along road, soldiers at side of road with stopped van
STORYLINE:
Palestinian police set up roadblocks in southern Gaza on Thursday, stepping up the search for a British aid worker and her parents, who were kidnapped on Wednesday by Palestinian gunmen.
Vehicles were inspected as they passed through Khan Younis and the nearby town of Rafah where 25 year old Kate Burton and her parents were taken.
Palestinian officials and British diplomats conceded late on Thursday that they were no closer to freeing the hostages.
They said that while they were in contact with armed groups, they hadn't yet determined the family's whereabouts.
Gaza police chief Alaa Hosni said the search efforts were continuing and vowed not to stop until the British family was safely returned.
A team of British diplomats rushed to Gaza and were in close contact with the Palestinians, a diplomat said.
The diplomat added that the three British nationals were not close to being released.
The kidnapping is the latest in a string of abductions of foreigners in recent months.
In most cases, the abductions have been carried out for personal rather than political reasons, with the kidnappers seeking jobs in the Palestinian security forces, the release of imprisoned relatives or other such matters.
There was no claim of responsibility for the latest kidnapping.
A spokesman for the Hamas militant group in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, denounced the kidnappings.
The Al Mezan human rights group in Gaza confirmed that Burton had worked for the group for four months, handling human rights and fund-raising responsibilities.
Al Mezan officials said she was on holiday with her parents at the time of the abduction.
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