MADA: Forty-seven Israeli violations against Palestinian media freedoms during February

Ramallah – March 6th, 2024. For the second month in a row, the Israeli occupation authorities and forces continue to commit 100% of all violations against media freedoms in Palestine. The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) has documented (47) violations against media freedoms in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the second month of 2024, compared to a total of (80) assaults documented last January.

Israeli Violations:

For the second month in a row, the Israeli violations continued to take the lead in terms of violations against Palestinian media freedoms committed by them at a rate of 100%, as MADA Center has documented (46) violations (31 in the West Bank and 16 in Gaza Strip), recording a decrease by (33) assaults compared to the previous month at a rate of 41%. This decrease does not indicate any improvement or positive change in the state of media freedoms. Rather, the reason for this decrease is due to the drop in the number of events that would lead to direct contact among journalists, media crews, and the Israeli occupation forces and authorities, despite the continuation of the war against Gaza Strip for the fifth month.

Despite the decrease in the number of documented violations in terms of number, this does not carry any positive connotation, as the Israeli violations committed during the continuation of the war on Gaza Strip are still among the serious types that directly affect the lives of journalists, as the occupation forces, during February, targeted (10) journalists with direct killing in Gaza Strip. Killings constituted 21% of the total violations committed. Furthermore, MADA Center also documented (12) physical assaults against journalists, (3) of which were committed in Gaza Strip, where the occupation forces targeted Al-Jazeera reporter ISMAIL ABU OMAR and the cameraman AHMED MATAR in the south of Gaza Strip with a drone, which led to their injuries, and this injury resulted in the amputation of reporter ABU OMAR’s foot. Moreover, journalist ABDULLAH AL-HAJJ was injured as a result of being targeted by a reconnaissance plane.

In the West Bank, the occupation forces exemplary punished Palestine TV crew (the office director OMAR ABU AWAD, reporter ELHAM HADEEB, cameraman MOHAMMAD ZAGHB, and driver SAMER ABU SULEIMAN) while detaining them in an army camp in Jericho. The Palestine TV crew (cameraman ADEL ABU NIMA and reporter ELHAM HADEEB) were also subjected to suffocation from the smell of the gas that the occupation soldiers targeted them with while covering the demolition of the largest of the houses in “Al-Duyouk Al-Tahta” Area near the city of Jericho.

The occupation soldiers severely beat the freelance journalist SAMI AL-SHAMI after he was arrested from his home at dawn on Sunday and released him after hours of arrest. They also arrested the journalist of Al-Jazeera Live, SAMI AL-SA’I, from his home in the city of Tulkarm, and his detention was later extended to check the possibility of issuing a warrant of administrative arrest against him. The occupation authorities arrested freelance journalist HAMZA SAFI from his home in the city of Tulkarm and confiscated his journalistic equipment. They also arrested journalist SIQAL QADOUM and released her after 11 days and deported her to Gaza Strip. They further arrested journalist MOHAMMAD ABU SNEINA while covering in the city of Jerusalem, beat him, and released him the next day on the condition that he be expelled from Al-Aqsa Mosque for a week.

The Special Forces also detained Al-Asima Network reporter, journalist SAIF AL-QAWASMI, and prevented him from covering the events in Shuafat camp near the city of Jerusalem, under the pretext that he does not hold an Israeli press card, while his coworker in the same Network was targeted with gas bombs to prevent her from covering. Freelance journalist AMER AL-SHALOUDI was detained in the Old City of Hebron only because he was a journalist.

In February, the occupation forces raided the “Sumar” and “Hossam” Printing Presses in the center of Ramallah, vandalized their contents, and confiscated their equipment. The occupation soldiers also hit the car of Reuters camerawoman RANEEN SAWAFTA with two bullets while covering the occupation forces’ storming of the city of Tubas. MADA further documented the travel ban on journalist SARI JARADAT for security reasons related to the Shin Bet, and the occupation missiles bombed the home of journalist ZAKARIA ABU GHALI, west of the city of Rafah, which led to his martyrdom along with a number of his family members, while the occupation missiles bombed the home of journalist ABDEL QADR SABAH during his journalistic coverage, which led to Injuring a number of his family members.

Martyr journalists during the month of February

#	Name of Journalist	Date of Martyrdom	Workplace
1	IYAD AHMED ALRAWEGH	Feb. 6^th, 2024	Sawt Al-Aqsa Radio
2	MOHAMMED JAMAL SOBHY	Feb. 6^th, 2024	Al-Quds Today
3	DR. RIZK ALGHARABLI	Feb. 6^th, 2024	The Palestinian Information Center
4	ZAKARIA ABU GHALI	Feb. 7^th, 2024	Journalist
5	NAFEZ ABDELJAWAD	Feb. 8^th, 2024	Palestine TV
6	YASSER MAMDOUH	Feb. 11^th, 2024	Kanan Agency
7	ALAA HASSAN ALHOMS	Feb. 12^th, 2024	Journalist
8	ANGHAM AHMED ODWAN	Feb. 12^th, 2024	Journalist
9	ALAA QADOUHA	Feb. 13^th, 2024	Journalist
10	IHAB NASRALLH	Feb. 21^st, 2024	Journalist

Details of Violations:

Feb. 1^st, 2024. The Israeli occupation forces arrested journalist SIQAL YOUSEF ISSA QADDUM (51 years old) while she was passing through a checkpoint in the northern West Bank. They released her from “Damoun” Prison after an 11-day detention and deported her to Gaza Strip.

According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, the Israeli occupation forces arrested journalist SIQAL QADDUM, who works in the Editing Department at Palestine TV office in Hebron, while she was passing through a military checkpoint in the northern West Bank at around 1:00 PM on the first Thursday of February.

The journalist, who lives in the town of Al-Shuyoukh, north of Hebron, was arrested while she was on her way to visit one of her relatives in the city of Jenin. She was transferred to Hasharon Prison in Israel and from there to Damon Prison.

Journalist SIQAL was released on the morning of Sunday, corresponding to Feb. 11, when the occupation authorities deported her to Gaza Strip via Kerem Shalom Crossing after an 11-day detention.

Feb. 1^st, 2024. Journalist RANEEN SAWAFTA's vehicle was hit by two bullets fired by Israeli occupation soldiers while she was there to cover the occupation forces' storming of the city of Tulkarm at dawn on Thursday, February 1.

According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, the occupation forces stormed the city of “Tubas” at around 2:00AM on the first Thursday of February, and this invasion included gunfire by the occupation forces, as Reuters cameraman RANEEN SAWAFTA’s vehicle was hit by two bullets. The first bullet hit the windshield from the left side, causing it to break, while the second bullet hit the left side door.

Feb. 5^th, 2024. The occupation authorities prevented journalist SARI JARADAT from traveling to Jordan on Monday morning and told him that he was prohibited from traveling for Shin Bet security reasons.

In his testimony to a MADA researcher, journalist SARI SHARIF ABDEL GHAFFAR JARADAT (39 years old) said that he went at about 9:00AM, on Monday morning to “Al Karama” crossing, heading to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to process a Jordanian passport. Immediately upon the journalist’s arrival at the Israeli side, he was asked to by the soldier to hand over his passport and wait for a short time. After that, his passport was returned to him, and he was informed that he was banned from traveling for security reasons related to the Shin Bet.

Earlier, the occupation authorities had refused to grant the journalist an entry permit to the city of Jerusalem to conduct an interview at the American Consulate after he applied for a visa to travel to the United States.

Feb. 6^th, 2024. The martyrdom of journalist IYAD AHMED ALRAWEGH, a reporter and presenter on Sawt Al-Aqsa Radio, along with a number of his family members, as a result of the Zionist occupation targeting his house in Al-Hasayna area of the Nuseirat camp. The occupation forces also assassinated the journalist of “Al-Quds Today” TV, MOHAMMED JAMAL SOBHY, after targeting his family home in the south of Gaza and the martyrdom of him and his brother. The martyrdom of journalist DR. RIZQ AL-GHARABLI, Director of the Palestinian Information Center in Gaza Strip, after the continuous targeting and bombing of Khan Yunis Governorate.

Feb. 7^th, 2024. The Israeli occupation police arrested freelance journalist MOHAMMAD ELEYAN ABU SNEINA from Al-Aqsa Mosque Square while covering the celebration of the Isra and Mi’raj. He was taken to the “Al-Qashla” investigation center and released the next day on the condition that he be removed from Al-Aqsa Mosque for a week.

According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, at approximately 3:45 PM on Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested freelance journalist MOHAMMAD ELEYAN ABU SNEINA, while he was in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem, near “Bab Al-Mutahhara,” while he was photographing the atmosphere of the celebration on the anniversary of the Isra and Mi’raj. During this time, police security personnel attacked journalist ABU SNEINA and confiscated the photography equipment he had, in addition to a bag he was carrying. He was transferred to the “Beit Eliyahu” police station in the Bab al-Silsilah area in the Old City of Jerusalem, and then he was transferred to the “Al-Qishla” investigation center, in Bab al-Khalil. There, the journalist was detained in a narrow corridor and was assaulted by officers of the Israeli intelligence service “Shin Bet” and the police, beating him using their hands.

At approximately 12:30 midnight on Friday, the journalist underwent an interrogation session regarding the reasons for his presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque and his journalistic work. A trial session was scheduled for him on Friday morning in the Magistrate Court in the city of Jerusalem, but it was canceled.

The journalist was returned to the Beit Eliyahu police station in the old city and was released in the afternoon hours of Friday after returning his confiscated belongings, on the condition that he be expelled from Al-Aqsa Mosque for a week.

Feb. 7^th, 2024. Journalist ZAKARIA ABU GHALI, his mother and sister were martyred, and others were injured in the bombing of a house west of Rafah.

Feb. 8^th, 2024. Journalist NAFEZ ABDELJAWAD, who works for Palestine TV, was martyred. His son was also martyred with him in the targeting of a house in Deir al-Balah in the center of Gaza Strip.

Feb. 9^th, 2024. The Israeli occupation forces arrested the freelance photojournalist HAMZA SAFI after raiding his home in the city of Tulkarm at dawn on Friday. They interrogated him on the ground and confiscated his journalistic equipment, mobile phones, and computers. He was transferred to Al-Jalama detention center.

According to the testimony of the journalist’s wife, MARYAM SHAWAHNA, to a MADA researcher, the occupation forces stormed the house of photojournalist HAMZA MOHAMMAD MUSTAFA SAFI (30 years old) in the city of Tulkarm at around 3:00 AM on Friday. The occupation soldiers, totaling more than ten, went up to the fourth floor of the building where the photographer lived, and the journalist opened the door for fear of blowing it up, as his wife and he were still awake.

The soldiers detained the journalist's wife and two children in a room in the house, while HAMZA was handcuffed and taken to the children's room for interrogation.

The occupation soldiers searched all parts of the house and deliberately vandalized its contents. They confiscated two phones for the journalist’s wife, two other phones for the journalist, two laptops, and HAMZA’s personal photography equipment (stands, photography drone, camera, lights, headphones, flashlights). Everything electronic was confiscated.

The occupation soldiers stayed for about an hour and a third at the home of journalist HAMZA, and throughout that time, HAMZA remained in the room undergoing interrogation, as the soldiers prevented his wife and children from seeing him even after the interrogation ended and he was arrested and taken abroad.

After the end of the raid, one of the soldiers informed the journalist HAMZA’s wife by a wave of his hand that they were finished. He did not respond to her questions about her husband or the phones. However, he did not answer and made a gesture with his hand that she should stay in the house. She was not able to see HAMZA at that time, and the family learned later that the journalist was in “Al-Jalama” detention center, without any other details.

Feb. 11^th, 2024. “Kanaan Agency” journalist YASSER MAMDOUH was killed by occupation army snipers in the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis. He had previously been injured several times while covering the return marches and the events of Al-Aqsa Intifada.

Feb. 11^th, 2024. Israeli intelligence personnel abused freelance journalist IBRAHIM AL-SINJLAWI by assaulting him verbally and physically, hitting him on the head and pushing him to the ground several times, and searching him and his phone to prevent him from covering a shooting event in the Old City of Jerusalem on Sunday morning.

According to the investigations of MADA’s field researcher, at around 01:00 on Sunday evening, the freelance photographer IBRAHIM AL-SINJLAWI was present in Al-Wad Street area in the Old City of Jerusalem to cover the event of a young man being shot in the place for allegedly carrying out an attack. When a group of occupation intelligence personnel arrived at the place, he was the only Arab photographer in addition to an Israeli journalist. The intelligence personnel went towards him without any reason and began asking him about what he had photographed. He answered them that he was a journalist, pointing to the Israeli press card that he was wearing around his neck in addition to wearing a journalist’s uniform. They asked him to show them his private phone, specifically the photos. He did not refuse and opened his phone, and the last photos were in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Then someone suddenly snatched the phone from his hand and wanted to open the WhatsApp application, so IBRAHIM tried to close the phone when another person surprised him by pulling it out and hitting him on the head. He was surprised and rejected the request, saying that this request was “illegal and an assault to his privacy and rights as a journalist” and that he offered them the camera file and photos as proof that they were free of any illegal images. Then they started shouting insults and threatening to beat, arrest, and detain him in “Al-Qashla” investigation center if he did not agree to their request to open the phone and view the “WhatsApp” application.

They shouted at him and forced him to take off his press helmet before they assaulted him by hitting him on the head and pushing him to the ground. They stole his wallet and physically searched him in the middle of the street without a sensible reason. They opened the application on the phone after they forcefully kidnapped and beat him. Then they returned it to him and forced him to give them his phone number to hand him a summons for investigation under the pretext that he worked for Al-Qastal network. He replied that he does not work with them and has no relationship with the network at all and that he is a freelance photographer who cooperates with many international and foreign news agencies. He explained that many pages and news agencies publish his photos without obtaining his permission.

Feb. 12^th, 2024. The martyrdom of two journalists: journalist ALAA ALHOMS, as a result of the wounds she sustained in the bombing of her family’s home in “Al-Jeneina” neighborhood, east of Rafah, several days ago, and journalist ANGHAM AHMED ODWAN, who was martyred on the same day.

Feb. 13^th, 2024. The artist and media personality, ALAA QADOUHA, was martyred, along with a number of his family members, in an Israeli bombing of a house in Nuseirat.

Feb. 13^th, 2024. The Israeli occupation forces targeted Al Jazeera reporter ISMAIL ABU OMAR and cameraman AHMED MATAR in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

The reporter and photojournalist, ABU OMAR, was seriously injured after he and the cameraman MATAR were targeted by an Israeli drone in the “Miraj” area, north of the city of Rafah, in the south of Gaza Strip. This led to the immediate amputation of the cameraman ISMAIL’s right leg, and his left leg was seriously injured. He was also injured as a result of fragments of the missile in various parts of his body.

Feb. 18^th, 2024. Al Jazeera reporter, journalist ISMAIL ABU OMAR, was transferred to Doha after being transferred urgently from Khan Yunis due to a deterioration in his health condition.

Feb. 15^th, 2024. The Israeli occupation forces raided two printing presses in the center of Ramallah at dawn on Thursday, vandalized their contents, and confiscated their equipment, claiming that they belonged to a terrorist organization.

According to the investigations of MADA field researcher, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the city of Ramallah at around 5:00 AM on Thursday and were stationed in Al-Manara area in the center of the city. The soldiers raided the “Hossam Advertising and Marketing” printing press on the fourth floor of the “Umayya” building, owned by the citizen HOSSAM OMAR SHAMASNA.

The soldiers broke down the main door using special tools they had, while they began a process of searching and sabotaging the contents of the printing press, confiscating the hard disks of four computers designated for making designs, as well as sabotaging three digital printing machines, in addition to sabotaging ready-made advertising materials and breaking internal walls made of chipboard. They scattered the contents of the printing press, including advertising materials and other materials. The material losses of the printing press are estimated at 20,000 shekels.

Before they withdrew, the soldiers placed posters on the walls of the printing shop stating that it belonged to a terrorist organization and that it supported “Hamas” movement. They also placed other posters with the words “ISIS” written on them, a paper of seized hard disks, and a paper on which they wrote: “Israeli Defense Army, I act as commander of the region according to Clause 61 regarding the Mulvan Instructions (Judea and Samaria) for the year 2009 and in accordance with the regulations of the year 1945, since the property in the name of Hussam Publishing was used to commit a legitimate crime and therefore the order is necessary for the purpose of combating terrorism in the region and therefore the property will be confiscated for the benefit of the IDF forces”.

SHADI HASSAN SAYES reported to MADA researcher that at around 5:30 AM on Friday, the occupation forces stormed Al-Bakri Building in the city of Ramallah and raided the “Sumer” advertising printing press on the seventh floor, where they smashed the main door with special tools, searched the printing press, and destroyed its contents, including advertising tools. In addition to confiscating hard disks for printing machines and other computers designated for making advertising campaigns. The soldiers also destroyed and broke all the machines in the printing press, cut their electrical wires, and sabotaged their operating systems which are: (Mimaki machine and its accessories, model 2023, worth 140,000 shekels, 2 iron ski-cut machine, worth 18,000 shekels, 150-watt laser machine, 60*90 work area, worth 90,000 shekels, 150-watt fiber laser machine for metals, worth 95,000 shekels, 3 sublimation printers, worth 15,000 shekels, and they broke the cameras of 5 devices, worth 15,000 shekels).

The occupation forces had placed a seizure report on the hard disk parts at the entrance of the printing house before leaving. The occupation forces did not inform the owner of the printing press to come to the place before the raid or during the search and confiscation process, and four workers worked in the aforementioned printing press in addition to the owner of the printing press.

Feb. 16^th, 2024. Members of the Israeli Special Forces detained journalist SAIF AL-QAWASMI in the field for about 40 minutes, obstructed his work, and prevented him from covering the events near the home of the perpetrator of a shooting attack in the Shuafat camp near the city of Jerusalem on Friday afternoon, under the pretext that he does not have an Israeli press card.

According to the investigations of MADA’s field researcher, at around 3:10 PM on Friday afternoon, after the end of the prayer, SAIF AL-QAWASMI, a reporter for “Al-Asimah” network and a photographer for news stories for “Al-Jazeera” TV (23 years old), went to Shuafat camp, to cover the events near the house of the perpetrator of the shooting that occurred near Ashkelon. He was a resident of Shuafat camp and was one of the first to arrive at the house when the young man was officially announced as the perpetrator of the attack.

At approximately 3:30 PM, police officers and “Al-Yamar” unit stormed the area. Meanwhile, only SAIF and his colleague, the “Al-Asimah” network journalist LAMA ABU HELOU, were present in the place, who was present inside the home of the martyr’s family, while SAIF stood in front of the house, outside.

The Special Forces "Al-Yammar" began arriving to facilitate the movement of the police officers, and when the Palestinian youths fired fireworks at them, they responded by firing live bullets, rubber bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas canisters.

During the clashes, the journalist was covering the events in front of the martyr’s house, when four soldiers from the Special Forces went towards him, pushed him, and forced him to change his place. Minutes later, another soldier returned to him and asked him, “Why were you filming?” SAIF replied that he is a journalist and that it is his job and showed them his press cards: one from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, and the other from the Middle East and North Africa Editors Network. The soldier confiscated SAIF’s identity card and press cards, prevented him from photographing, and detained him in the field.

After about half an hour, the responsible officer came and told SAIF that photography is forbidden for anyone other than Israeli journalists. SAIF replied that he is a journalist and holds a press card that is considered international and added: “Your job is to storm homes and my job is to photograph.” The officer walked away for another ten minutes and then threatened SAIF that if he did not leave the place, he would arrest him, and then he accompanied him until he was sure he had moved away.

SAIF moved to cover from a distant location, revealing the house and its surroundings. At that time, he saw the occupation forces targeting his colleague, “LAMA,” with tear gas canisters and rubber bullets, along with all the citizens around or inside the house or on the balcony. This continued for about three hours.

Feb. 17^th, 2024. Israeli occupation missiles bombed the home of journalist ABDUL QADER SABAH in Gaza Strip. He was surprised by this during his press coverage in the Strip, and this bombing resulted in various injuries to his family members.

Feb. 19^th, 2024. Occupation soldiers abused Palestine TV crew in Jericho Governorate after they were intercepted by settlers. They tied their hands, blindfolded them, kicked and beat them, and detained them for about nine hours near an army camp on Monday morning.

According to a statement by the director of Palestine TV office in the city of Jericho, OMAR ABU AWAD, to a MADA researcher, “Palestine” TV crew in the city of Jericho, namely (the cameraman MOHAMMAD JAWAD AL-ZOGHB, the reporter ELHAM FATHI HADIB, and vehicle driver SAMER ABU SALMAN) moved at ten o’clock in the morning. On Monday, we went to the Bedouin gathering area, “Al-Makhlatiyat”, near the “Aqabat Jabr” camp, in the city of Jericho, to cover the settlers’ confiscation of citizens’ lands and their fencing in one of the nearby mountains. During this, the TV cameraman saw, through the camera zoom, a group of settlers at a long distance who were watching them through (firearm sight).

At 11:00 AM, the crew quickly finished their work and began collecting equipment and placing it in the vehicle. When they tried to leave, a white four-wheel-drive vehicle intercepted them from the front, while a black four-wheel-drive vehicle stopped behind them. Four settlers in civilian clothes, wearing bulletproof vests, and carrying two vehicles, got out of the two vehicles. Two of them were holding weapons and pointed them at the crew and asked them to get out of the vehicle and stay 10 meters away from it, while the other two began to search the vehicle thoroughly. Moments later, one of the settlers found a small Palestinian flag. He approached the office director, OMAR O. AWAD, and asked him to carry it, and he photographed it. While another settler found the journalists' shields and asked why they were in the vehicle, the journalist ABU AWAD explained to them that they were journalists. Then one of the settlers said, you have to wait until the soldiers come. After about 10 minutes, the soldiers' patrol arrived at the place. Five female soldiers got out and quickly went to the vehicle that was accompanied by the press crew and began to search it thoroughly. After about 20 minutes, one of the female soldiers came forward and informed the crew that they would be taken to the army camp and asked them to hand over all the mobile phones, money, and vehicle keys to her. They were blindfolded and handcuffed with plastic ties and were transferred to the three parked vehicles.

The vehicles drove them, while the soldiers were kicking them with their feet all the way. After that, the vehicles stopped, and the soldiers got the crew out of them. One of them grabbed the journalist OMAR and asked him to walk while blindfolded until his face hit the wall. Then he was asked to walk again until he fell from the stairs to the ground on his face, as well as the photojournalist and the driver, all three remained on the ground, except for the reporter ELHAM HADEEB, who was missing from the crew. The three remained on the ground until the sunset hours when journalist MOHAMMAD AL-ZOGHB asked to go to the bathroom because he was sick, but the female soldier was telling him: “remove your pants here before you go so that I can allow you,” but he refused.

This situation continued until a person came, who gave his name as “JATHMAN” and that he was from a military connection. He asked them why he was with the army, and the crew explained to him what had happened to them. The officer claimed that a weapon had been found in the vehicle in which they were traveling, but the crew members denied this and informed him that what was in the vehicle was only press equipment, including shields and cameras. The officer then left and returned about half an hour later and informed the crew that they would be released after an hour. The crew members asked him to remove the blindfolds from their eyes and the plastic ties from their hands, but he told them to wait another hour before removing them.

At about 8:00 PM, the soldiers took each crew to a vehicle alone and took them to an unknown area, left them there after returning their phones and money, which the soldiers had put in a bag that had a dirty smell. Journalist ABU OMAR called the reporter ELHAM HADIB, who was not with them, she informed them via phone that one of the soldiers drove the office vehicle with her and took her to an area near Hamra checkpoint and left her there alone. She was forced to call one of her relatives who arrived at the place, drove the vehicle, and delivered it to the Jericho Governorate Office.

Feb. 20^th, 2024. The occupation forces fired bullets at journalist HOSSAM SHABAT while he was covering the incursion of occupation vehicles near the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza Strip.

Feb. 21^st, 2024. Journalist IHAB NASRALLAH and his wife were martyred, and his three children were seriously burned as a result of being targeted by the occupation forces penetrating Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.

Feb. 23^rd, 2024. The occupation forces arrested journalist SAMI SAEED AL-SA'I (45 years old), the founder of “Karmul” Page and who works with “Al-Jazeera Live” TV, after raiding his house north of the city of “Tulkarm” at dawn on Friday.

According to the investigations of the field researcher at MADA, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced by four military jeeps, arrived in the “Artah” neighborhood, north of Tulkarm, at around 3:30 AM on Friday, and about 20 soldiers raided a residential building for the AL-SA’I family.

The soldiers arrived at the first floor, searched it, and vandalized its contents, while a number of other soldiers went up to the second floor and raided the apartment of citizen IZZAT AL-SA’I and asked him to accompany them to the journalist’s apartment, where he had opened the door to the apartment before the soldiers arrived so that it would not be vandalized by them. A number of soldiers entered the apartment and spread out in the hall. After identifying him, his hands were handcuffed in front of him using plastic ties, and he was taken, along with his brother OSAMA, who was detained on the first floor, to an unknown destination, where OSAMA was released after about an hour and a half, and the soldiers kept the journalist SAM detained, noting that he suffers from migraine disease and needs special care after donating one of his kidneys to his son.

The journalist's detention was extended on Feb. 29^th, for 144 hours to examine the possibility of issuing an administrative detention order.

Feb. 24^th, 2024. Photojournalist ABDULLAH AL-HAJJ was injured as a result of a reconnaissance plane targeting him while he was covering scenes of destruction in Al-Shate’ Camp in Gaza, which led to the amputation of one of his feet.

Feb. 25^th, 2024. The occupation forces abused freelance journalist SAMI AL-SHAMI after storming his house in the town of Asira Al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, and confiscated his press equipment. They arrested him at dawn on Sunday, severely beat him, and released him around one o’clock in the afternoon on the same day.

According to the testimony of freelance journalist SAMI YOUSSEF AL-SHAMI (33 years old) to MADA researcher, the occupation soldiers raided his family’s building in the town of “Asira Al-Qibliya”, south of Nablus, at around 2:45 AM on Sunday, where he lives on the first floor, and quickly searched it for about 20 minutes later, when the journalist brought down the soldiers, they pointed weapons at him and arrested him, after confiscating his mobile phone.

From the moment the journalist was arrested, the soldiers blindfolded him, handcuffed him, and hit him hard on the head. They took him to the military jeep, threw him on the floor of the jeep, and assaulted him severely with their hands, feet, and rifles. They also assaulted him verbally, with insults and profanity.

He was first taken to an occupation army military point in the town of Tal, then to an army camp in the town of Hawara, and finally to the investigation center in the town of Awarta. The occupation soldiers deliberately assaulted the journalist by beating him with the intention of causing harm. The handcuffs on SAMI’s hands caused him congestion, and when he asked him to loosen them, the soldier pulled them tighter and started hitting his hands with his foot and shoe, while another soldier was carrying him and hitting him on the ground, while he was handcuffed and blindfolded.

During the investigation, the handcuffs were removed, and blood was dripping from them. The officer interrogated him about his life and work, ordered him not to work with any external party, and warned him against working with any party of “Hamas” because they were banned. He also threatened to arrest him.

The journalist was released at one o'clock in the afternoon from "Awarta" investigation center, after recovering his phone. He went to the hospital to check on himself. It was found that he had minor injuries to his face, hands, and feet, and bruises in various places on his body.

Feb. 25^th, 2024. Occupation soldiers detained freelance journalist AMER AL-SHALOUDI only because he is a journalist, while he was in the Old City of Hebron on Sunday.

According to the testimony of freelance journalist AMER MOHAMMAD MUSBAH AL-SHALOUDI (44 years old) to MADA researcher, he was present at around 12:10 midnight on Sunday in the “New Shalala Street” area in the Old City of Hebron to cover the violations of the occupation forces and its settlers in the town.

A number of soldiers who were present in the street stopped him and asked him for his personal ID to check it. After a few minutes, they asked him to leave. The journalist advanced 100 meters near the old municipality building, where the soldiers had arrived. One of the soldiers approached him and said: “Why are you chasing us?” The journalist told him that he stopped by the market, and that he is a journalist. The soldier’s response was, “Because you are a journalist, I will detain you.” He asked him for his ID again, and then asked him to accompany him.

The soldier took him to the closed northern entrance to “Al-Shuhada” Street, where there is an army camp. There, he asked him to take off his coat and physically searched him, then took his two phones and all of his belongings that he had. When the journalist showed his press card, the soldier did not care, blindfolded and handcuffed him. He pulled him back with a plastic tie forcefully and took him on foot into the army camp. He walked him a distance that the journalist estimated at 7 minutes, then sat him on a chair, and the soldiers began talking to the journalist in Hebrew, which he did not understand. The journalist stayed in his place for about an hour and a half, and then one of the soldiers speaking Arabic approached him and told him, “We will release you.” He took him to the gate, handed him his belongings, and asked him to leave.

Feb. 29^th, 2024. A Palestine TV crew suffocated and fainted as a result of occupation soldiers firing tear gas canisters in “Al-Duyouk Al-Tahta” area while covering the demolition of a house on Thursday morning.

According to the testimony of Palestine TV cameraman ADEL IBRAHIM ABU NIMAH, an Israeli occupation army force arrived in “Al-Duyuk Al-Tahta” area, northwest of the city of Jericho, at about 8:30 AM on Thursday morning. The force spread out in the area, while the excavators that were accompanying the force began demolishing one of the houses there.

After the people were prevented from approaching, a group of journalists were present at the place to cover the events taking place. They were wearing journalists’ uniforms and were stopping in an area exposed to the army. Among them were Palestine TV reporter ELHAM HADEEB and cameraman ADEL IBRAHIM ABU NIMAH. At approximately 9:10 AM, the soldiers fired tear gas canisters at the citizens who had gathered in the place, while the press crews tried to advance to cover this. The soldiers responded by firing several tear gas canisters directly at the journalists, which resulted in the injuries of the two journalists, ABU NIMAH and HADEEB, suffocating and fainting. They were transferred to Jericho Governmental Hospital, where doctors provided them with appropriate treatment. They left the hospital at about 11:00 AM.