Hamas secured the release of the BBC reporter:
BBC's Gaza correspondent released
BBC correspondent Alan Johnston has been released by kidnappers in Gaza after nearly four months in captivity.
He said it was "fantastic" to be free after an "appalling experience". TV footage showed Mr Johnston, 45, leaving a building accompanied by armed men.
He later appeared beside Hamas leader Ismail Haniya and thanked everyone who had worked for his release.
Rallies worldwide had called for Mr Johnston's release. An online petition was signed by some 200,000 people.
The BBC reporter was handed over to officials of the Hamas administration in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Hamas' military wing had said it would actively work towards securing Mr Johnston's release, warning his kidnappers it was prepared to use force.
Gunmen from the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement overran Gaza last month, expelling their rivals from the Fatah faction.
This kind of makes you wonder if we are not better off having Hamas in charge over there (rather than Fatah). Fatah seems to have a history of allowing the fanatics to run wild and seems to do nothing about it. This is the first time I can remember an activing government in the Palestinean territories doing something to get a hostage released.