The Palestinian Head of Mission has told the NUJ that the whereabouts of missing BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston is known to the Palestinian government and they have received firm assurances that he is alive.

Palestinian Head of Mission, Professor Manuel Hassassian and NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear at the vigil outside the Palestinian General Delegation office in London (Photograph: Marc Vallée)

Scots-born Johnston went missing over five weeks ago, and is widely believed to have been kidnapped. There were uncorroborated reports two weeks ago from a previously unknown group that Johnston had already been killed, but no evidence has been provided to support the claim.

Jeremy Dear told the vigil: “We will not cease until Alan is free to rejoin his friends and family and resume his life as a internationally respected BBC journalist.”