Israel taxi driver freed

Gorel was taken to hospital after his release

Israeli special forces have freed a taxi driver, five days after he was kidnapped.

Eliyahu Gorel, 61, disappeared on Friday and his taxi was found in an Arab district of Jerusalem.

He was released early on Wednesday in an operation involving army, police and special forces in Beitunia, a suburb of Ramallah on the West Bank.

Israel TV said the kidnappers were Palestinian criminals who were trying to win favour with militants - but no group agreed to take the captive.

The kidnappers had no affiliation with any Palestinian organisation, the report added.

Haaretz newspaper quotes sources involved in the operation as saying the kidnappers had been making contradicting demands during various phone calls.

At times they asked for money, then they demanding the release of all Palestinian prisoners, and at times demanded the release of only some of the prisoners.

The army said the arrest of two members of the kidnappers' gang on Tuesday evening had made the rescue possible.

A third was arrested while trying to escape during the rescue.