Ramallah – September 2022- Palestine witnessed Last August a wide wave of serious attacks against journalists and media freedoms from various sides. While a total of 27 violations against media freedoms in Palestine were recorded during July, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms ”MADA” monitored a total of 143 violations last August, and this number constitutes a sharp increase in the number of violations committed, which mainly resulted from the Israeli attacks, in addition to for violations of social networks against Palestinian content.
Undoubtedly the violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces, and their settlers increased during August, but it ranked second in phrases of quantity In addition to its danger. The occupation forces targeted journalists in a large and remarkable last August, especially the crimes they committed in the Gaza Strip. It was mainly represented by targeting the "Palestine Tower", which includes several headquarters of media outlets during the aggression it launched on the Gaza Strip early last month, in addition to the attack on journalists in Jerusalem who documented the settlers' storming. Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Most of the attacks last month were deliberate and systematic, in order to obscure the crimes committed by the occupation army during its aggression on the Gaza Strip, which lasted for three consecutive days before declaring the armistice, as happened in Jerusalem and the rest of the regions. The West Bank witnessed incursions by settlers, and an escalation in Israeli attacks, accompanied by hidden cooperation by social networks for the purpose of obscuring what happened, as they tried to silence Palestinian voices, including male and female journalists and activists on social media, by restricting or deleting their pages to prevent them Whoever publishes any news about the political situation prevailing in occupied Palestine.
Last August, MADA documented a total of 143 violations against media freedoms, of which the Israeli occupation committed 59 violations (42 violations in the West Bank, 17 violations in the Gaza Strip), while social networks recorded 77 violations, and the Palestinian attacks were restricted to several parties that reported 7 violations (5 of them in the West Bank and 2 in the Gaza Strip).
Israeli violations
August witnessed a total of 59 Israeli attacks against media freedoms in Palestine, most of which fall within the dangerous violations of media freedoms, and the Israeli attacks constituted 41% of the total attacks in the month.
In an incident that has become an approach adopted by the Israeli occupation to disrupt the activity of media and male and female journalists and keep them away from journalistic work, the Israeli occupation army, during its aggression on Gaza, destroyed the headquarters and offices of eight media institutions operating in the Strip, by targeting the “Palestine Tower” from which it is based. These institutions are based. Through the foregoing, the occupation was able to temporarily stop the work of these institutions and their staff as a result of the prolonged destruction of their offices, inflicting material damage that may affect them in the long run as well.
In addition to the destruction of these media headquarters, the Israeli occupation committed 9 physical attacks against Palestinian journalists, 2 of them with rubber-coated metal bullets, and 2 others with shrapnel from bombs or missiles. MADA also documented 3 cases of arresting journalists in the West Bank, while 16 attacks were monitored by confiscating or destroying press equipment, and 13 cases of detention, all of which took place in the West Bank. In addition to 5 cases of Prevent of coverage and targeting to prevent coverage, as well as the hacking of 3 media sites and one case of banishment from Al-Aqsa Square for five days.
Palestinian violations
Palestinian violations during August were restricted to a total of 7 violations, (5 of which took place in the West Bank and 2 in the Gaza Strip), slightly higher than the violations last July, when MADA documented only 4 violations. Palestinian violations during the past month constituted 5% of the total violations.
The most serious Palestinian violations committed were the arrest and torture of journalist Mujahid Tabanja at the hands of the Palestinian security services, and the arrest of journalist Abdel Hamid Abdel Atti at the Rafah Passage and an attempt to prevent him from entering the Gaza Strip.
Social networks Violations
The Israeli aggression and escalation during the month of August and the widespread crimes and attacks against media freedoms in occupied Palestine were accompanied by a wide wave of violations committed by companies and social networks, by restricting or blocking the Pages of dozens of journalists, in addition to blocking or disabling the Pages of hundreds of Palestinian citizens and activists in connection What they publish about the events related to the Israeli attacks.
And the social networks companies FACEBOOK, TWITTER, WHATSAPP, TIK TOK and INSTAGRAM deleted and closed the accounts of male and female journalists and restricted publishing operations, and also froze the accounts of others during the past month, and the Israeli occupation carried out a hacking operation for some News Pages and websites and broadcast misleading news through it.
Most of the violations came as a result of journalists and news websites reporting hot political news during the month of August, which was confined to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the military operation launched by the occupation in the city of Nablus, and in particular the news, photos and video clips that were transmitted after the assassination of the resistant Ibrahim Nabulsi.
MADA documented last August, 77 violations from social networks against media freedoms, representing 54% of the total violations. META company committed most of these violations with a number of 71 violations (61 violations committed by FACEBOOK, 8 by INSTAGRAM, and 2 by WHATSAPP), which is an indication of direct and blatant bias towards the Israeli occupation. While it monitored the extent of 4 violations committed by the TIK TOK platform, the closure of a journalist's channel on YOUTUBE, and the closure of the same journalist's account on the "SNAPCHAT" platform.
Details of Violations
(1st Aug.): FACEBOOK banned many personal accounts of journalists in the Gaza Strip while restricting others' accounts in various ways on the pretext of violating the platform's standards, after circulating content related to the internal Palestinian situation.
Among the journalists who were subjected to restrictions on accounts, the journalist with the Palestine Today channel Alaa' Salameh was known, the official of the media committee of the Palestinian Football Association, Muhammad Al-Ajla, and the account of the journalist with the JERUSALEM MEDIA NETWORK, Alaa Al-Namlah, was banned.
(3rd Aug.): The Israeli occupation forces arrested journalist Mahmoud Nazmi Abu Al-Hassan (35 years old) from his home in Al-Fara' camp at dawn on Wednesday, 3rd August 2022, and took him to an unknown destination.
His sister Hanin stated that an occupying army force stormed their house in Far'a Camp, south of the city of Tubas, at about 02:30 AM in the morning on Wednesday and went up to Mahmoud's house directly. The soldiers searched the house, beat the journalist, and arrested him.
Since then, the occupation authorities have been continuously postponing his trial, and he is currently in Al-Jalama detention center without a clear charge, while a court session will be held for him on Thursday, 9th September 2022.
(4th Aug.): WHATSAPP has permanently closed the account of Dunya Al-Watan journalist Osama Al-Kahlout, (38 years old), in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Kahlout told MADA that he received a message from the application management stating that "it is not possible to create an account on WhatsApp from his phone number". The journalist wrote to the application management, but without a response from them. According to what the journalist reported, this closure was the result of the dissemination of various news concerning the different situations in the country through many news groups.
(5th Aug.): An unknown party impersonated the MSDR NEWS NETWORK in the Gaza Strip, to spread fabricated news, as it forged the network's logo affixed to its news.
Dr. Imad Omar, the network's general supervisor, stated that an unknown party "thought to be Israeli" had falsified false news impersonating the name of the Masdar News Network. A name and logo similar to the network's logo were used in designs attached to a fake news text, with the colors of the network's official logo being manipulated.
The network confirmed that this news was fabricated, was not issued by it, and had no basis in truth, and the MSDR NEWS NETWORK denied its relationship to everything issued by parties unknown to them.
FACEBOOK restricted the accounts of a group of journalists in the Gaza Strip on the pretext of violating the standards of the Facebook community, because of these accounts covering the news of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Among the journalists, whose accounts were restricted were journalist and editor for Donia Al-Watan website Salah Skaik, a researcher in political media and propaganda Haider AL-Mssadder, and photographer for the MSDR NEWS NETWORK, Muhammad Qandil.
The Israeli occupation forces targeted the fifth and sixth floors of the "Palestine Tower" in the middle of the Gaza Strip with missiles on Friday, the fifth of last August, during their aggression on the Gaza Strip, which lasted for three consecutive days. This bombing damaged the media offices in the tower, in addition to the residential apartments inhabited by civilians on the other floors.
The tower, which consists of 14 floors, sustained heavy damage as a result of the Israeli aggression. At least eight offices and media institutions were destroyed, as the headquarters were partially destroyed, and all services were cut off from electricity, water, and internet services, in addition to the displacement of citizens and workers in the media offices that were destroyed. Which is no longer valid for work, which led to the movement of some workers in the media offices to other headquarters that they rented or hosted.
Alaa' Khalil Al-Mashrawi, (53 years old), director and owner of the AL- MASHRQ PRESS stated to the press that the headquarters of the AL- MASHRQ office had been greatly damaged, as the doors, windows, and walls of the office were destroyed, with a loss estimated by Al-Mashrawi in the amount of $5,000, in addition to the loss of five employees of their work at the present time inside the office as a result of the damage he sustained.
Hamed Ismail Jad, (57 years old), responsible for AL-AYYAM newspaper office in the Gaza Strip, stated that he heard the sounds of explosions in the "Palestine Tower" from his house, which is 200 meters away, around 4:00 PM on Friday 5th August 2022.
AL-AYYAM newspaper is based on the second floor of the tower. As a result of the bombing, the headquarters and its contents were completely destroyed, as the walls were cracked, the glass facades were shattered, and the entire contents of the office were scattered. The newspaper's director was unable to count the damage and material losses suffered by the newspaper, which employs 12 employees and reporter.
The headquarters of the MEDIA GROUP agency on the 12th floor of the tower was damaged, as the company’s general manager and owner, Atef Mahmoud Younes (63 years old), stated that the company lost about $ 7,000 as a result of the damage, as broadcasting devices, cameras, broadcast studios and seven were destroyed. Screens not to mention the company's glass and doors shatter.
Moaz Hasan Zaher, (27 years old), an editor for the SHEHAB NEWS Agency, stated that the agency’s headquarters, which is located on the third floor of the tower, was badly damaged, as the news studio was destroyed, windows and mirrors were broken, and 6 screens were shattered. The journalist estimated the agency’s losses, which It employs 15 employees for $10,000.
The office of the EVENT Company was slightly damaged as a result of the bombing of the Palestine Tower, where the company's general manager in the press sector, Muhammad Jamal Salha, stated that what hit the office was only the glass of windows shattered.
The responsible for the studios at the Holy Qur’an Radio, Alaa Tayseer al-Mashrawi, (40 years old), stated to MADA that the radio’s windows and doors, transmitters, cables, telephone lines, and others were completely destroyed as a result of the damage to the radio station resulting from the bombing the crew of four moved to work elsewhere if the premises is no longer operational.
From his side, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Youth Media Center, Iyad Ibrahim Al-Qara (45 years old), stated that the center's windows were broken as a result of the bombing of the "Palestine Tower" by Israeli planes, in addition to the destruction of the roof made of tiles, and he indicating that no other damage occurred in the center.
Khalil Jawdat AL-Dabous, (40 years old), a sound engineer at GAZA FM Radio, stated that the damage to the radio headquarters, which is located on the 11th floor of the "Palestine Tower", was restricted to breaking doors and windows, so that the headquarters is out of service, in particular, the rest of the services were disrupted: Electricity, water, and internet.
INSTAGRAM banned the account of freelance press photographer Ashraf Muhammad Abu Amra (36 years old), after publishing content on the "story" feature that showed the extent of the destruction caused by the aggression on the Gaza Strip.
(6th Aug.): INSTAGRAM restricted the account of journalist Mutasem Murtaja, while he deleted a post by journalist Muhammad Zaqout because they had taken video clips related to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The account of the photojournalist, "Record Media", Motasem Murtaja, was restricted, while the site deleted a post by freelance journalist Mahmoud Zaqout.
The press equipment of the photojournalist, Youssef Felfel, was destroyed by the stones of the scattered buildings, and he sustained minor bruises as a result of targeting the house next to his house in Rafah during the bombing of the Gaza Strip by Israeli warplanes.
AL-MANAR studio photographer, Yousef Ayman Fell, (23 years old), Mada, stated that his house in the Rafah Camp, west of Rafah, was badly damaged after the Israeli warplanes bombed the house next to it, which is only seven meters away. The journalist's equipment was broken by the stones of the scattered house next door, which consisted of (a camera, two lenses, a tripod, and flashlights), and the photographer was subjected to minor bruises on different parts of his body.
TIKTOK has restricted the accounts of Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip for taking video clips about the aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Among those who were affected by the restrictions of the account: journalist Osama Al-Ashi, who works for the Chinese Channel CCTV, whose account was deleted a few hours after the restriction of the account of SAWA News Agency, which received the threat of closing it permanently after the restriction.
Journalist Muhammad Fouad al-Mudallal sustained minor injuries and burns to his feet as a result of the Israeli occupation’s bombing of his house and the house next to it in the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip during the aggression carried out by the occupation authorities against the Strip since 5th August 2022.
freelance journalist Muhammad Fouad al-Mudallal (28 years old) MADA stated that the Israeli occupation warplanes bombed his house and the nearby houses on Saturday evening, as a result of which he sustained injuries, bruises, and moderate burns to his feet caused by shrapnel from missiles while he was standing in front of his house, after which he received treatment in the hospital in the city of Rafah.
At dawn on Saturday, 6th August 2022, the Israeli occupation forces arrested Ibrahim Mashhour Abu Safiya, (28 years old), from his home in the town of Beit Sira, near Ramallah.
His wife, journalist Ikhlas Sawalha, told MADA that a large force of the occupation army raided their house at around 03:00 AM on Saturday 6th August 2022, which is located above Ibrahim's mother's apartment, in the town of "Bayt Sira" near Ramallah.
The soldiers entered the house of his mother and brothers, then arrived at the apartment of journalist Ibrahim, where they pulled out the door of the house, tied and blindfolded him, and then took him to the "Ofer Prison", west of Ramallah.
During his arrest and the storming of the house, dozens of tear gas canisters were fired in the vicinity of the house, causing his mother to faint.
(7th Aug.): Facebook has restricted a group of journalists' accounts from the Gaza Strip after they posted news about the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. Among them were: journalist Saeed Al-Taweel, editor-in-chief of the Fifth News Network, freelance journalist Anas Al-Sharif, free journalist Ahlam Abu Sitta, a journalist with Al-Ray governmental Radio Sami Mushtaha.
The Israeli occupation police arrested photojournalist Ahmed Gharableh and took him to an investigation Center 100 meters away from Al-Aqsa squares, while assaulted a group of Jerusalemite journalists on Sunday morning, preventing them from covering and obstructing their work.
The photographer of the French Agency AFP Ahmed Kamal Gharableh (40 years old) stated to MADA that he had been present since 08:00 AM on Sunday morning in the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque to cover the incursions of settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which came on the occasion of the ninth of August, the day on which they claim is the anniversary of the ruin of the temple.
The photographer Gharableh persisted to cover until a quarter of nine o'clock when the settler Knesset member " Itamar Ben Gvir" stormed Al-Aqsa, and while filming the scene, a police officer attacked him and arrested him, despite Ahmed identifying himself as a journalist and doing his job.
The police officer wrapped Ahmed's left hand tightly behind his back, knowing that the journalist suffers from a severed tendon of the hand and needs surgery, and at the same time the police officer's finger touched the photographer's eye from the inside, causing her harm. The journalist walked with the police until he reached the Chain Gate, where the policeman asked him who he was, and he answered that he was a journalist, and despite that, he confiscated his mobile phone and his identity and took him again humiliatingly to an investigation center 100 meters from the Chain Gate.
The photographer was admitted to the investigator, who charged him with "harassing Ben Gvir", after which the investigator received several calls from the journalist's work Agency, which made him release after he returned his identity and mobile phone. Ahmed received the necessary treatment at the Eye Hospital as a result of the damage to his eye caused by the contact of the policeman's finger with the inside of his eye, and it was decided to speed up the surgical procedure for his severed left hand.
The Israeli occupation police also detained the cameraman of Al-Mayadeen Channel, Mohammed Shoukry Esho,(37 years old), on the same day after settlers attacked him at the Chain Gate during his coverage of the settlers ' incursions into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The photographer stated to Esho MADA that he was present to cover the incursions of settlers into the squares of Al-Aqsa since 7:30 AM, and at about ten o'clock one of the settlers began to provoke the photographer Esho by directing insults at him and standing in front of the camera to prevent him from filming, the photographer asked him to move away, and he pushed him away with his hand in full view of the police officers, so the settler hit the photographer with a flag on his head, but the police officers approached the photographer Esho and threw him to the ground, handcuffed him and took him to the investigation center "Beit Eliyahu", which is a few meters away from the Chain Gate, where he stayed there for half an hour, during which he was searched and beaten by the police officer.
After that, he was transferred from the "Beit Eliyahu" Center to "Qishleh" investigation center and stayed there about 5 hours, where his feet were tied up and he was interrogated on charges of assaulting a settler on the nationalism background.
The photographer Esho was released around 3:30 PM after reviewing the footage of the police cameras, which did not prove his assault on the settler, on condition of being removed from the yards of Al-Aqsa for 5 days.
On the same day, the occupation forces and its settlers attacked the staff of Palestine TV, reporter Layali Ziad Eid (30 years old), and TV cameraman "Ahmed Jaber" and obstructed their work during coverage in the Chain Gate area.
Journalist Layali stated that she and TV cameraman Ahmed Jaber were covering the settlers ' incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque since 10:00 AM on Sunday morning in the Bab al-salsa area. During the coverage period, the Palestine TV crew was subjected to many attacks, where settlers attacked them with hands and insults to obstruct their work. the crew was also subjected to cutting off the live broadcast several times, between 4-6 times, when the police deliberately stand in front of the camera, which makes it difficult for them to complete their media coverage.
At about 8:30 AM, the Israeli occupation police cut the audio cable of the freelance journalist Ghassan Mohammed Abu Eid, (40 years old), during the attack on him, prevented him from covering, and obstructed his work.
The Israeli occupation forces hacked the website of the PALESTINE TODAY news agency in the Gaza Strip and spread false news through the agency's website.
The agency's administrative and financial affairs officer, Mohammed Nidal stated to MADA that the occupation forces hacked the website of the Palestine Today Agency through one of the agency's employees devices and posted much misleading political news on the agency's website. This prompted the agency to publish a statement: "PALESTINE TODAY news agency is currently being subjected to a hacking operation by the Israeli occupation, and the technical staff is maintenance the matter and restoring the site, and therefore notes that some news currently on agency's website is fake news by the Israeli occupation authorities".
The agency's IT unit addressed the hack on the same day.
The Israeli occupation forces arrested Dina Nayef Jaradat, (24 years old) media student at Al-Quds Open University, from her home in Jenin city at dawn on Sunday 7th August 2022 and extended her detention until 31th August 2022.
Her sister Susan stated to MADA that a patrol came to the student Dina's residence at 2:30 AM on Sunday and searched the house and asked about Dina with the aim of arresting her, and confiscated her mobile phone and her laptop.
Hours later, the student's family received a phone call from the occupation authorities to tell them that they needed to hire a lawyer and that a trial session would be held for her in 4 days at the "Salem military court".
The family went to the Salem court on Thursday 11th August 2022 to attend the trial session, and extend her detention until 31th August 2022, which later postponed the court date until 5th September 2022.
(8th Aug.): Unknown parties hacked Al-Aqsa radio's private groups on WHATSAPP in the Gaza Strip.
The director of the news department at AL-AQSA RADIO, Hassan Dirawi, told Mada center that unknown parties hacked private groups at Al-Aqsa radio on WhatsApp application because of the circulation of news about the Israeli occupation's aggression on the Gaza Strip.
(9th Aug.): The Israeli occupation forces targeted the VOICE OF YOUTH radio in Nablus city by firing shots in its direction three times during the radio's documentation of the assassination of the martyr Nabulsi in the opposite side of the radio headquarters on Tuesday.
The director of programs at VOICE OF YOUTH radio Ghayath Mohammed Jazi (44 years old), stated to MADA that on 9th August 2022, when clashes took place between citizens and the occupation army forces in the city of Nablus, and when the occupation army besieged the martyr Nabulsi in the Old City of Nablus, specifically "hableh Neighborhood", the radio cameramen stood on the radio window on the ninth floor of the building, where he directly overlooks the lane without any obstacles to document what is happening.
At one moment, the director of the programs asked the photographers to move away from the window for fear of being targeted, and moments later a bullet was fired towards the radio, where they heard the sound of glass breaking.
About 5 minutes later, journalist Jazi entered the studio to turn on the live broadcast via voice of Palestine, when another bullet was fired towards the studio window, hitting only the windowsill.
Minutes after the second bullet, the third bullet was fired, but it also hit the end of the window.
The radio staff inquired from the rest of the neighbors in the building about whether they were shot that day, and the answer was no, which confirms that the occupation snipers targeted the photographers who were carrying their cameras and documented what was happening through the window of the VOICE OF YOUTH radio.
Facebook continued to restrict and ban the accounts of journalists from the Gaza Strip after they posted videos following the incident of the assassination of the martyr Ibrahim al-Nabulsi by the occupation forces, after they posted news and videos related to the incident.
Facebook restricted the accounts of: journalist Muath al-Hams, journalist member of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate Sameh al-jedi, freelance journalist Moin Al-Dabbh, journalist in the INDEPENDENT newspaper Maryam Abu Daqqa, journalist Mohammed quneita, anchor in AL-KOFIYA channel Sally Thabet, freelance journalist Younis Abu Jabal, journalist at the AL-RESALA Media Foundation Rasha Farhat, journalist Mohammed al-Najjar works on the site of AL-QALA'H AL-HADATH, journalist Emad Youssef in YOUTH radio, correspondent of the EREM NEWS network journalist Mohammed Abu Sha'r, journalist Yahya Al-Yaqoubi works in PALESTINE newspaper, FACEBOOK administration deleted the account of journalist Mona Khader from the PALESTINIAN WOMEN FOUNDATION, The account of journalist Karam Al-Ghoul at the ABU DHABI channel, and journalist Sami Mushtaha at Al-Ray governmental Radio.
INSTAGRAM restricted some accounts for journalists and deleted other accounts in the Gaza Strip under the pretext of violating the application standards as a result of circulating content related to the incident of the assassination of martyr Nabulsi.
Whose accounts have been restricted: freelance journalist Moataz azayzeh, journalist at AL-NAJAH satellite Nidal al-Wahidi, Meanwhile, the account of journalist Ashraf Abu Amra, and the account of journalist Yahya Sabeeh with the SABQ 24 news agency were deleted.
TIKTOK is owned by a Chinese company BYTEDANCE banned the account of journalist Mohammed Maghari because of the content related to the incident of the assassination of Ibrahim al-Nabulsi.
FACEBOOK targeted Palestinian journalists in the West Bank and censored posts referring to the martyrdom of Palestinian resistance fighter Ibrahim Nabulsi, who was assassinated by the Israeli occupation forces in the city of Nablus on Tuesday morning 9th August 2022.
Whereas, pictures of "Al-Nabulsi" and videos of him spread on social networks after news of his martyrdom, and most of the cases of restricting journalists' accounts were as a result of their publication of a video clip of the martyr's mother, under the pretext "not adhering to the followed Facebook community standards".
The correspondent of the Jordanian ROYA channel, journalist Hafez Mahmoud Sabra (33 years old), stated to MADA that the FACEBOOK had banned him from publishing for 3 days, and also restricted his account from showing posts to friends for 90 days, after he posted a video documenting the assassination of martyr Nabulsi.
On the same day, INSTAGRAM owned by the same company META, has deleted 7 stories posted by journalist Sabra on his account.
Facebook also restricted the account of photojournalist Youssef Faraj after he posted videos belonging to the martyr Nabulsi immediately after his martyrdom, and the network took several other measures against the account several days after the first restriction.
The photographer of the Russian RUPTLY agency Yusuf Ahmed Faraj (33 years old) stated to MADA that FACEBOOK restricted his account for 30 days on the same day that Ibrahim al-Nabulsi was martyred, after he posted a video of the martyr's mother, he commented on it "by force and fortitude".
A few days later (16th August 2022), FACEBOOK took other measures against the journalist's account, namely, banning him from publishing and commenting on friends' posts for 30 days, and banning live broadcasting for 90 days, Based on another video, the photographer Faraj reposted it during one of the clashes of the martyr Nabulsi with the Israeli occupation army, and the clip spread widely on social networks.
For his side, the director of BLOSOM promotion and advertising company, Hasan Qamhiya, (39 years old), stated that a week before Nabulsi's martyrdom, FACEBOOK banned him from publishing on the site for a week, and prevented him from live broadcasting and publishing funded ads for 30 days, because of the presence of the word "martyr" in one of his posts.
On the day of the martyrdom of Al-Nabulsi on 9th August 2022, journalist Qamhiya posted a video of the martyr's mother, and within a few seconds the account was banned and prevented from publishing for 24 hours, and the days of blocking live broadcasts increased to 65 days, and the number of days of blocking funded ads increased to 65 days. The next day, the journalist posted a documentary video of the Jerusalem operation on the story feature, and within seconds, the application blocked the journalist's publications from appearing to friends for 65 days.
Journalist Hassan contacted one of FACEBOOK's advertising specialists and advised him to stay away from politics affairs, as it is likely that his account will be completely and permanently banned, especially since he has a Page verified with a blue mark.
FACEBOOK has restricted the account of the journalist and editor at WAFA agency Rasha Ahmed Herzallah on the platform, including from live broadcasts and funded advertisements for a period of 30 days.
According to journalist Rasha Ahmed Herzallah, (37 years old), FACEBOOK restricted her account by banning her from broadcasting funded ads and prevented her from broadcasting live for 30 days after she posted about "Islam Sabpoh", who accompanied the martyr Nabulsi before the assassination.
The accounts of the PALESTINE TV correspondent in Nablus, journalist Bakr Abdul Haq, and the account of journalist Sona Al-Deek, who works for PALESTINE VOICE radio, were also deleted.
The correspondent of FM 24 Aqeel Awawda (31 years old) stated that his account on FACEBOOK has been subject to continuous restrictions since the war on the Gaza Strip in 2021, but on 9th August 2022, After he posted a video of the mother of the martyr Nabulsi and posted a post about the martyr, he received a message from the FACEBOOK administration preventing him from broadcasting live and publishing funded ads and reducing the followers’ access to his posts for a period of 90 days, and he was also prevented from publishing on the account for a period of 7 days.
On the other side, FACEBOOK temporarily deleted some accounts of journalists for a period of 30 days for each of the correspondent of the Turkish ANADOLU agency Hisham Abu Shaqra, The Photographer of QUDS NEWS NETWORK Mutassim Saqf Al-Hayt, and the journalist Ali Nsr Obeidat.
FACEBOOK restricted the Page of freelance journalist Jihad Ismail Qadi (32 years old) and banned him from publishing for three days, while he was banned from live broadcasting for 29 days, and reduced the access rates of followers to his publications for 32 days, and prevented him from broadcasting funded ads without specifying a period.
On the same day, YouTube deleted the journalist's channel Qadi which is followed by 12K followers, Snapchat also deleted the Page of the same journalist, which is followed by about 45K followers.
The photographer Mohammed Shousha, who works for the Jordanian channel ROYA, the photographer of WAFA agency Ahmed al-Arouri, and the photographer of PALESTINE TV Ghassan Shousha were subjected to restricting their account by banning them from live broadcasting for 29 days, and banning publication for 3 days. FACEBOOK also restricted the account of journalist Nasier Abu Thabet for 29 days, so that his publications were moved to the bottom of the feed.
The journalist at LAMMIT SAHAFA foundation, Mahmoud Hrebat, was also subjected to the deletion of a video showing the martyr Al-Nabulsi, which he posted immediately after his assassination on his Page on the Facebook, and on 24th August 2022, The platform also deleted a video published by the journalist Hrebat of the little girl, the daughter of the martyr Mai Afaneh, in which she appeared during her mother's funeral.
(10th Aug.): Facebook has restricted a group of journalists' accounts, under the pretext of violating the standards followed on the site after they dealt with news related to the prevailing situation in the Palestinian arena.
Among those who have been restricted for a long time are: journalist Mohammed Abu Shabab, a correspondent for the Syrian SANA news agency, journalist Qasem Al-Agha, who works for AL-ESTQLAL newspaper, photographer Amir al-Maghari, a member of the PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS SYNDICATE, Doaa al-Hattab, who works for AL-ESTQLAL newspaper, journalist Nesma al-Harazin, journalist Samah Shahin, at MSDR News Network, and PALESTINE TV anchor Sally Al-Sakani.
(11th Aug.): FACEBOOK has restricted accounts for journalists in the Gaza Strip under the pretext of violating the standards followed by FACEBOOK community, including PALESTINE TV correspondent Fouad Jaradah, journalist Kari Thabet who works for the GAZA MEDIA CENTER, journalist Amr Tebsh with AL-KOFIYA channel, freelance journalist Hasan Islieh, journalist Ahed farwana, photographer at alyawm news Mustafa jaa'rour, correspondent and editor of the Indonesian GAZA MEDIA agency Ahmed Al-Batta.
(12th Aug.): FACEBOOK has restricted Pages for journalists, while deleting Pages for other journalists, including Salwa Abu Odeh a journalist and presenter at AL-AQSA satellite channel, Haneen Mimah a journalist working for the TAIF network for Palestinian women, Abdullah Al-Attar a freelance journalist, Yusuf Abu Kweik a journalist at AL-KOFIYA channel, and Yusuf Abu Watfa at QUDS News Network.
The same platform deleted some Pages and accounts including AL-SHABAB RADIO, al-Quds radio correspondent and Al-Hadath newspaper cameraman Muthanna al-Najjar, a journalist with the PALESTINE TODAY channel Ibrahim Ibrahim, Ahed Alwan at Al-Ray governmental Radio, Imad Dalloul from the PRISONERS VOICE RADIO.
A force from The Palestinian General Intelligence (PGIS) arrested journalist Mujahid Muawiah Tabanja while he was in a supermarket in Nablus City for 4 days during which he was physical torture.
The correspondent of the Palestine Post Agency journalist Mujahid Muawiah Tabanja (22 years old), stated that a civilian car carrying about 4 members of The Palestinian General Intelligence (PGIS) in civilian clothes arrested him in a barbaric way while he was in a supermarket in the Rafidiya area in Nablus City between 06:00 to 06:30 on Friday evening, 12th August 2022, and took him to the "Al-Junaid" prison.
The investigation of the journalist began against the background of his journalistic work with the network "Palestine Post" and his relationship with some colleagues journalists, and they also asked him about the J-Media Network and the Jerusalem News Network in an attempt to extract confessions they want from him.
The interrogation of him was very harsh, ranging from beating with legs and hands, beating with batons on various parts of the body, and Cuffed in-front of a Wall (Shabeh), In addition to the very bad conditions of detention, where the journalist was in a bedless cell filled with annoying and loud voices.
From the moment of journalist Mujahid's arrest until the morning of the fourth day, he did not eat any food, and the investigator was very angry if he saw solidarity publications with him, and he beat Mujahid and tortured him more, and also threatened him if he recounted what happened to him during the arrest that he would be arrested again to be tortured more than before.
He was released on Monday 15th August 2022, without any conditions.
(14th Aug.): FACEBOOK has restricted several accounts for journalists in the Gaza Strip, while the SAFA agency account has been deleted.
Among those whose accounts have been restricted are journalist Mona Khader at PALESTINIAN WOMEN FOUNDATION, freelance journalist Abdel Hakim Abu Rayash, Mo'men Hamid who works correspondent at AL-OULA News Channel, and member of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Salah Abu Salah. The network has also removed the Page of SAFA agency, which has about 120K followers and contains millions of views.
(15th Aug.): FACEBOOK has deleted the account of the journalist of AL-KOFIYA channel Adly Abu Taha from the Gaza Strip after dealing with content related to the incident in Nablus in the West Bank.
The Palestinian security services at the Rafah Passage prevented journalist Abdel Hamid Abdel Ati from entering the Gaza Strip after returning from his trip to Egypt.
Abdel Hamid Mohammed Abdel Ati, (37 years old) broadcaster at BALADNA TV and WATAN VOICE radio, stated to MADA that he was prevented from entering the Gaza Strip after returning from Egypt through the Rafah Passage on Monday, A security officer at the Rafah Passage informed him that he was "banned from entering Gaza," as it appeared on the electronic system, without giving reasons, and the Palestinian side refused to stamp the journalist's passport "to return."
The journalist stayed for an hour and a half inside the travel hall of the Palestinian side, Later his problem was resolved after the intervention of several parties, then which he was able to enter the Gaza Strip.
(17th Aug.): The car of photojournalist Jafar Shtayyeh was damaged while covering the clashes resulting from the storming of the Israeli occupation army forces of the Balata camp in Nablus city on Wednesday morning.
Agence France-Presse photographer Jafar Zahid Shtayyeh, (54 years old) stated to MADA that he went to Balata camp in Nablus at about 8:00 AM on wednesday to cover the Israeli occupation forces' storming of the camp, where the storming was punctuated by confrontations between young men and occupation soldiers.
The photographer Shtayyeh's car, which was 30 meters away from the youth protesters, was damaged, although it was in a safe place, the stones of the youth hit it, where the rear window and taillights were smashed, and its right side was damaged.
(18th Aug.): The Palestinian General Intelligence (PGIS) summoned freelance journalist Amer Tawfiq Abu Hilayil (30 years old) from the Dura town in Hebron Governorate by telephone for an interview at the agency on Thursday, 18th August 2022 at 10:00 AM. The journalist told them that he had a broken back two months ago and could not move, and the officer replied in a sarcastic tone, "as you want, do not come!".
(19th Aug.): PALESTINIAN TV cameraman Fadi Yassin was injured by rubber-coated metal bullets in his right knee while covering the weekly March in Kufr Qaddum village, received field treatment, and completed his work.
PALESTINIAN TV cameraman Fadi Abdel Rahim Ibrahim Yassin, (42 years old), stated to MADA that he was in the village of Kufr Qaddum on Friday to cover the weekly March held in protest against the confiscation of village land and the closure of the main street in favor of Kedumim settlement.
As usual, the demonstration started after the end of Friday prayers at about 1: 30 PM towards the closed street, punctuated by the cheers of citizens and the raising of Palestinian flags and banners, and the Israeli forces responded to the demonstrators by firing tear gas, sound grenades, rubber bullets, and live bullets.
While he was covering the events he was wearing a protective shield and muzzle, a group of rubber bullets was fired toward him, one of which almost hit his head and another hit an electric pole he was sheltering in, but one of the rubber bullets hit his right knee. Later received field treatment and returned to continue his work.
The Israeli occupation forces detained the correspondent and director of the Palestine TIMES Network and the cameraman of AL-JAZEERA Mohammed Turkman near the entrance to the Balata camp in Nablus while covering the clashes there on Friday for an hour and a half.
Journalist Mohammed Mahmoud Turkman (26 years old) stated to MADA that the Israeli occupation forces detained him near Balata camp from 12:30 after midnight until one at dawn, while he documenting the occupation forces ' storming of the Tomb of Joseph area, later he was released.
(20th Aug.): WHATSAPP has blocked the account of the journalist and the presenter of the programs in SHAAB RADIO Mohammed Al-Aidy from the Gaza Strip because he covered events in Palestine.
(21st Aug.): FACEBOOK has deleted the account of journalist Amna El-Dabash from Gaza on the platform due to the handling of content related to the Palestinian situation.
The Israeli occupation authorities prevented journalist Ayman Qawareq from traveling through the Al-Karamah crossing border accompanied by his sick father, despite the presence of medical reports necessary for his treatment on Sunday, 21st August 2022.
Ayman Faisal Qawareq, (36 years old) journalist with AL-QASTAL News Network, stated to Mada that he went to Jordan on Sunday morning through Al-Karamah crossing border accompanying his sick father on a trip for treatment, and when he arrived on the Israeli side around the 02:00 PM, the Israeli occupation authorities informed him that he was banned from traveling, and asked him for medical reports proving his father's need for treatment, and they photographed them, He also showed them the booking paper at the doctor's clinic.
After waiting for four hours, the occupation authorities returned him and his sick father traveled alone.
(25th Aug.): The Israeli occupation forces detained photojournalists Mohammed Turkmen and Yusuf Shehadeh at the entrance of the "Ofra military camp" after covering the clashes in the town Silwad dawn on Thursday and released them after two hours.
Yousef Madi Shehadeh, (22 years old) cameraman for AWDAH TV, reported that he and his colleague, Mohammed Mahmoud Turkmen, (26 years old) AL-JAZEERA cameraman, had finished covering the clashes in the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah, and when they left the town, the occupation forces detained them at the entrance to the "Ofra military camp", and also seized their mobile phones and filmed the materials on them without deleting them.
They remained in detention until the soldiers received a phone call from the officer in charge, where the soldiers released them around 06:00 AM after recovering their phones.
(26th Aug.): Alaa Badarneh, a photographer for the European Pressphoto Agency EPA, was slightly injured in the left leg by shrapnel from a sound bomb fired by the Israeli occupation forces at the demonstrators while covering a demonstration against settlements in the town of "Beit leed" south east of Tulkarm Governorate on Friday.
According to the photographer of The European Pressphoto Agency EPA Alaa Tawfik Badarneh (50 years old), he was in the town of "Beit leed" on Friday between 12:00 and 1:00 PM to cover a demonstration held in the town against the settlement.
During the demonstration, several stun grenades were fired at demonstrators and journalists alike, as a result of which photographer Badarneh was slightly injured by shrapnel from one of the bombs in his left leg, where he was treated in the field.
PALESTINE TV reporter in Qalqilya journalist anaal Al-Jadaa' was injured by a rubber-coated metal bullet in his right arm while covering the weekly confrontations against settlements in the town of Kufr Qaddum on Friday and received field treatment.
Journalist anaal Al-Jadaa' stated to MADA that he was covering the weekly Kufr Qaddum march, which started at about 01:30 PM after the end of Friday prayers.
He was in an intermediate area between the soldiers and the demonstrators with three journalists (Bashar Nazzal a cameraman for PALESTINE TV, cameraman Kamel Qaddumi and Israeli journalist), about 200 meters away from the presence of the occupation soldiers, and the journalists took a corner in an area called "Al-Biir" and were moving away from the demonstrators about 100 meters.
The four soldiers, dressed in dark green uniforms and armed with various types of weapons, began firing metal bullets indiscriminately at those present, and despite the journalists wearing the distinctive press uniform with a blue Shield and a helmet with press written on it. A rubber-coated metal bullet hit the right arm of journalist anaal and caused light bruises.
First aid was provided to the reporter Al-Jadaa' by the Red Crescent crews and completed his work.
Journalist Mohammed Khaled Abu Jiab (40 years old) was subjected to an incitement and defamation campaign against him via social media after he published a post on the FACEBOOK encouraging investment in the tourism sector inside the Gaza Strip.
The journalist Abu Jiab, who works as a program presenter for AL-KOFIYA channel and a program presenter at youth radio, stated to MADA that he sent a message to the government in the Gaza Strip through post on his private FACEBOOK Page to encouraging investment in the tourism sector at the level of cinema and theater, as part of Palestinian culture and history, to convey the suffering of Gaza and its problems to the whole world.
The next day the journalist began to receive comments on the post from people who are not on his friends list, accusing him of being a fan of debauchery and immorality, and also received many comments containing curses and insults.
Three days later, the mufti of khan younis Sheikh Ihsan Ashour wrote an explicit publication against the journalist Abu giab accusing him of spreading debauchery and immorality, and Dr. Saleh al-Raqab, known for his hardline, commented on the post "there is a proponent of The good and a proponent of evil" indicating that the journalist is a proponent of evil.
(29th Aug.): The Israeli occupation army detained a group of journalists in the "Janba" area of "Masafir Yatta" and also detained their personal cards for an hour, after they finished a report on the suffering of school students in the area.
The photographer of the J-MEDIA, Abdul-Mohsen Tayseer shalalda (28 years old), one of the journalists who was detained, reported that a group of journalists and photojournalists, namely (Montaser Nassar reporter, freelance journalist Nidal Natsheh, QUDS Network correspondent sari Jaradat, journalist Mohammed Rajoub, Yusri al-Gamal and Musa al-Qawasme REUTERS photographers) headed to the "Janba" in Musafir Yatta around 7:30 AM in order to prepare a report on the suffering of school students who coming from different residential areas in Masafir Yatta some walk dozens of kilometers on a very rugged road to reach their school in the area. The journalists also wanted to prepare a report on the arrival of a delegation from the Directorate of Education to open the academic year there
After the journalists finished their work and while leaving the town, they were stopped by the occupation soldiers who were near the entrance to the village, and they detained them after confiscating their personal cards, press cards and the key to the car carrying them, and they were released and the cards were returned to them after an hour of detention.
(30th Aug.): Israeli occupation soldiers hit the car of the reporter of the Jordanian channel ROYA Hafez Sabra with two bullets that shattered the rear and side glass of the car while the journalist was covering confrontations near "rujeeb" in Nablus city.
In his statement to MADA, the correspondent of Roya TV, Hafiz Mahmoud Sabra, stated that he arrived at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning in the village of "Roujeeb", southeast of Nablus, to cover the clashes there, and immediately after arriving, he parked his car in a safe place under the building that the journalists climbed to cover the clashes, which is 200 meters away from the occupation soldiers. After the coverage ended around 10:30 AM the journalist Sabra returned to his car to find that two bullets had been fired at the car and shattered the rear and side windows of the car.
