Palestine intelligence agents have told President Mahmoud Abbas that the kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston is still alive.
The news yesterday raised the hopes of Mr Johnston's parents, following an anxious few days since a group of jihadists claimed to have killed the Scot.
Speaking in Stockholm, Mr Abbas reiterated his claim last week that Mr Johnston, 44, was safe and well, this time citing confirmation from the intelligence services.
Mr Johnston's parents, Graham and Margaret, have been waiting with mounting concern at their home in Argyll since their son was snatched by masked gunmen in Gaza City more than a month ago.
Mr Johnston said on hearing the latest development: "That's good news, that's really good news. The other day was the worst day of my life.
"This is the news I've been waiting to hear and I don't think the Palestinian president would say this unless he was convinced it was true.
"But we still don't have proof of life. That's what I want desperately. It's been nearly six weeks now."
President Abbas told a news conference: "Yes, I believe he is still alive. Our intelligence services have confirmed to me that he's alive."
He said he knew which group was holding Johnston, but declined to give details.
"I want to acquire his release alive. Therefore it is taking some time," he said.
A spokesman for the BBC said: "Clearly we welcome this news but what Alan's family and the BBC want more than anything else is firm evidence of Alan's wellbeing and his immediate release."
President Abbas told BBC director general Mark Thompson last week he believed Mr Johnston was safe, but on Sunday a previously unknown Palestinian group, The Brigades of Tawheed and Jihad, sent a statement to news organisations claiming it had killed the Scot.
His parents made a heartfelt plea for whoever was holding their son to end their torment.
A series of vigils were held on Monday in support of the kidnapped journalist by hundreds of his BBC colleagues outside the corporation's offices across the UK.
Mr Abbas, whose Swedish visit was part of a diplomatic push to encourage the European Union to unlock financial aid to the Palestinian government, said he had been briefed about Mr Johnston over the past three days.
"This does not mean that we have any contact with his abductors," he said.
Separately, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, said in an interview on Dutch television that Johnston's captors did not have political motives but rather wanted "personal demands" met in exchange for the journalist.
Mr Haniyeh did not offer any details about what these demands might entail and said the British government had made clear to the Palestinian Authority that it should not use force to free Johnston, because that could endanger his life.
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