Release
On 4 July, Johnston was freed by his captors and handed over to Hamas officials. Johnston said he was "tired", but "in good health", and thanked those who pushed for his release. He also confirmed that he had access to the BBC World Service for much of his captivity and had heard the worldwide calls for his release on shows like World Have Your Say and Newshour. He described his captivity as an "appalling experience".
Johnston met with Haniya immediately after being freed before leaving for Jerusalem. He later also met Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad in Ramallah before returning home, arriving in London on 7 July from Tel Aviv.
Read more about this topic: Kidnapping Of Alan Johnston
Famous quotes containing the word release:
“As nature requires whirlwinds and cyclones to release its excessive force in a violent revolt against its own existence, so the spirit requires a demonic human being from time to time whose excessive strength rebels against the community of thought and the monotony of morality ... only by looking at those beyond its limits does humanity come to know its own utmost limits.”
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