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It has now been a week since our colleague Alan Johnston left this building and headed for his apartment in Gaza City. Although we have not been able to establish exactly what has happened to Alan, it seems certain that he has been abducted and is being held somewhere in the Gaza Strip.

As time passes, we are growing increasingly concerned about Alan's safety.

Over the past week, we have worked intensively with the authorities in Gaza and elsewhere to try to locate Alan and we continue to receive assurances that everything possible is being done.

However, it is disappointing that after seven days there has still been no firm word either about his whereabouts or his condition.

We call on everyone with influence on this situation to redouble their efforts now that Alan has been missing for more than one week.