********THEY'VE BEEN RELEASED******** Jerusalem Post, Sky News...

***UPDATE*** - CENTANNI WAS LIVE ON THE PHONE WITH SHEP ON FNC (ALSO AIRED ON CNN) SAYING THEY WERE FORCED TO CONVERT TO ISLAM AT GUNPOINT

***UPDATE - TIME FOR BED... STAY UPDATED WITH MICHELLE MALKIN AND HOTAIR***

***SCROLL FOR UPDATES ON DETAILS ABOUT THE NEW VIDEO***

*UPDATE* - VIDEO STILLS*

Breaking on Fox and Drudge already had links up....

Obviously forced, kidnapped journalists Steve Centanni of Fox News and freelancer Olaf Wiig apparently blame America and read Islamic writing (not sure if it's the Koran) and have apparently converted to Islam! At the same time we're getting reports that they will be released within hours.

Reuters

GAZA (Reuters) - Two kidnapped Fox journalists appeared on a new videotape released by their captors on Sunday in the Gaza Strip, in which the reporters said they had converted to Islam, the Fox News Channel said.

Both Fox correspondent Steve Centanni, a 60-year-old American, and New Zealand-born cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, appeared to be in good health. They were seized on August 14.

Associated Press

Two Fox News journalists kidnapped in Gaza two weeks ago are expected to be released later Sunday, a senior Palestinian official said, as the kidnappers released a new video of the hostages.

The official, Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal, said the two hostages, cameraman Olaf Wiig of New Zealand and correspondent Steve Centanni of the U.S., are unharmed.

Abu Hilal said the kidnappers have promised Palestinian Interior Minister Said Siyam of Hamas they would not harm the journalists. "We hope their release will be within hours," Abu Hilal told The Associated Press.

The kidnappers, meanwhile, released new video of Wiig and Centanni. In one segment, Wiig was seen sitting cross-legged on the floor, dressed in a beige robe and reading from notes.

"It is Apache helicopters firing hellfire missiles made in America that kill the residents in Gaza," he said in a halting voice, his face expressionless.

Pray that they let these guys go soon, after rumors of a release yesterday never panned out.

Others who commented on reports of an imminent release yesterday, prior to this latest announcement and video:
Michelle Malkin, The Political Pit Bull, The Jawa Report, Protein Wisdom, Wizbang, A Blog For All, A Lady's Ruminations, Misunderestimated, Anwyn

***UPDATE***

Shep just broke in and tossed to Amy Kellogg who reported that the men are claiming to have chosen to convert on their own and that they weren't forced and apparently spoke the praises of the "peaceful" religion, etc. Of course I'm not buying it, I think they are trying to stay alive, but we'll let them tell us the story when they're released.

More From Reuters:

They were shown separately sitting cross-legged, reading a statement which Fox said was an announcement that they had converted to Islam. At times in the video they were wearing long Muslim robes.

Wiig called on leaders of the West to stop "hiding behind the 'I don't negotiate with terrorists' myth". He then read some words in Arabic.

More from the AP as well...

In another segment, Centanni said he has converted to Islam and raised his index finger in an oath of allegiance to the religion.

Others:
Blue Star Chronicles, Assorted Babble of Suzie, Joe's Cafe

***UPDATE***
If you haven't already seen it, here's the "conversion video" (via Malkin & HotAir)

Malkin is also praising some straight talk out of Brit Hume, via a transcript by Ms Underestimated, about how finding a political solution to the Middle East situation is a nice dream, but pretty much impossible.

One of Malkin's readers emailed her with the following comment:

Everybody so far is talking about how the 'Conversion' card is an easy way out of Islamic Terrorists' hands... but it is a career ender for Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig. You see, you can kidnap an infidel; but the Koran dictates that a muslim in good standing must kill an apostate.

If Steve Centanni ever announces that he is not a Muslim, he signs his own death warrant... can he ever be assigned to a Muslim nation again without the knowledge that he is now legally a target for death because of his own actions?

Keep praying, it's not over yet.

What this reader isn't aware of is that Centanni already did announce that he wasn't a Muslim when he was on the phone with Shep, shortly after his release. He said he was forced to convert at gun point, but is not Muslim, even though he has a great respect for it, etc. and said he "learned" a lot about it, etc. I don't know if that does end his career of reporting in the region or not, but just wanted to let everyone know that he has already commented on this.