A Gaza-born Israeli citizen who was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip on October 27 was released yesterday, after 46 days in captivity.

A relative of the freed captive, Riyad al-Luh, told Haaretz yesterday that one of the Palestinian organizations had abducted him and that the family - but not the Israeli authorities - had made a great effort to secure his release. The relative, Muafak Mansour, refused to provide further details.

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The abductors brought al-Luh to Palestinian police officials at the Erez crossing on the Gaza border yesterday morning, and his family from the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia brought him to their home.

It is not yet clear when he will return to his own home in the Israeli Arab town of Tira, where he moved in the mid-1990s after marrying a woman who originated from the town.

"Only his relatives were interested in the matter," said Mansour. "We didn't read a thing in the papers, and we didn't hear anything on the radio. No one demanded that he be returned."

Al-Luh was kidnapped as he was heading back to Israel after visiting his parents' family in Gaza for the Muslim holiday of Id al-Fitr. Armed masked men blocked the way out, shot at al-Luh's wife and abducted him.