LONDON, Dec 31: A young British aid worker held hostage for two days with her parents by militants in the Gaza Strip plans to continue her work there, she said in a statement released on Saturday.

Kate Burton, 24, who was freed with her visiting parents late on Friday night, “remains committed and passionate about working alongside the Palestinians”, said the statement issued via the Foreign Office in London.

Britain breathed a collective sigh of relief after Ms Burton and her father Hugh, 73, and 55-year-old mother Helen, known as Win, were freed just ahead of the New Year.

They had been abducted at gunpoint close to the Rafah border crossing into Egypt from the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, with a previously unknown group calling itself the Mujahadeen Bayt Al-Maqdes later claiming responsibility.

“We are in good health and have been treated extremely well through the ordeal,” the statement from Ms Burton and her parents said.

“We are glad that 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 and working around the clock to secure our release.”

It added: “Ms Burton plans to stay in the region and continue working with the Palestinian people,” saying she wanted to help “alleviate the difficult conditions being suffered by the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip”.—AFP