Ramallah – November 6, 2024-October 2024 witnessed a relative decline in the number of violations against media freedoms in Palestine compared to the previous two months (August and September), during which there was a sharp increase (with a total of 105 and 148 violations recorded, respectively). The number of violations in October decreased by 60 incidents or 41%.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored and documented a total of 88 violations against media freedoms in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during October. Of these, 78 were committed by the Israeli occupation forces, 6 were committed by Palestinian authorities in the West Bank, and 4 were attributed to social media platforms.
Although the number of violations this month decreased compared to the previous months, this decline does not reflect any improvement in the media freedoms situation, which continues to face severe violations and crimes. This is especially true given the ongoing genocide targeting the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza Strip. As a result, nine journalists were martyred in October while covering the events and news of this war in Gaza.
Israeli Violations:
During the past month, the Israeli occupation forces committed 78 crimes and violations against media freedoms, accounting for 89% of all recorded violations. Most of these actions fall under serious assaults against journalists. The killings of journalists continued at the same pace, with nine journalists being martyred in November. One of these journalists was killed in the first month of the war, but it was only recognized as a journalist martyr a year after his death.
As in previous months, Israeli violations included grave threats to the lives of journalists. MADA Center documented 15 physical assaults, nine of which were injuries from shrapnel caused by rocket strikes while journalists were covering events on the ground in Gaza.
Additionally, five journalists were arrested, three of them in Gaza, indicating a shift in the occupation’s tactics. The Israeli authorities are no longer content with killing journalists but have started to silence the voices of those remaining by detention.
MADA also documented the detention of 13 journalists, including two in Gaza. These journalists were arrested after an Israeli raid on the "Kamal Adwan" Hospital, where they were held outside the Hospital, stripped of their clothes, forced to walk long distances, and subjected to physical assault and verbal abuse.
In addition, equipment belonging to three journalists was seized, and the equipment of four others was destroyed in Gaza in an attempt to prevent them from reporting. In the same context, the Israeli occupation forces prevented two journalists from covering the events and targeted five others in Gaza by shooting live ammunition at them, attempting to obstruct their coverage.
Furthermore, Israeli airstrikes destroyed the homes of seven journalists by bombing them with missiles. In a serious precedent, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued an official statement inciting against six journalists working for Al Jazeera in Gaza, accusing them of having military affiliations with Palestinian factions.
In the same context, the Israeli authorities postponed the trial of journalist RASHA HARZALLAH, who has been detained since June 2, until December 15. The administrative detention order for journalist ALAA AL-RIMAWI was renewed for six additional months for the third consecutive time. Meanwhile, journalist ASMAA HARISH was released after spending six months in administrative detention.
Palestinian Violations:
The month of October witnessed a total of 6 Palestinian violations against media freedoms, accounting for 7% of all recorded violations. All of these incidents occurred in the West Bank.
Despite the decrease in both, the number and proportion of Palestinian violations, most of these violations were serious threats to media freedoms. The Palestinian Intelligence Service arrested media student IBRAHIM SABARNEH after summoning him for questioning. Although a decision was made to release him after several days, he remained in detention at the time this report was published.
Additionally, the Palestinian Intelligence Service arrested the cameraman MOHAMMED TURKMEN from the Palestine Medical Complex during coverage of the funeral of a martyr, and he was released the following day. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Police arrested journalist LAITH JA'AR for several hours after he went to file a complaint against a security officer who had assaulted him in front of "Thabet Thabet" Hospital. He also faced an incitement campaign from several Palestinian Authority-affiliated channels and platforms, as well as from Fatah movement pages on Telegram and other social media platforms, which spread news and rumors accusing him of collaborating with the occupation.
Social Media:
Meta Platforms Inc. committed four violations against media freedoms this month. These included the blocking of the "Facebook" Page of "Al-Balad Radio" and another page belonging to journalist WARD SHALBAK, the Radio’s Director and the Manager of the Radio Station's Page. The pages were blocked following numerous reports related to the publication of news about the war on Gaza. Meta gave the page administrators 180 days to request a review of the decision.
Additionally, the same platform shut down the page of journalist MOHAMMED ABED, a reporter for "Quds News Network," citing violations of community standards. His account could be permanently closed after 180 days unless he files an appeal.
On the other hand, Instagram deleted the account of journalist HAFEZ SABRA, a reporter for "Roya TV," which had more than 130,000 followers.
Martyrs of the Media During the Month of October
|
Name of Journalist |
Date of Martyrdom |
Place of Work |
|
|
1 |
HASSAN HAMAD |
06 October 2024 |
Media Town |
|
2 |
MOHAMMAD ROUHI AL-TANANI |
09 October 2024 |
Al-Aqsa TV |
|
3 |
AYMAN ROWAISHED |
14 October 2024 |
Al-Aqsa TV |
|
4 |
SAID RADWAN |
27 October 2024 |
Al-Aqsa TV |
|
5 |
HAMZA ABU SALMIYA |
27 October 2024 |
Sanad News Agency |
|
6 |
HANIN BAROUD |
27 October 2024 |
Al-Quds Foundation |
|
7 |
NADIA AL-SAYED |
27 October 2024 |
Amwaj TV |
|
8 |
ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-TANANI |
27 October 2023 |
Journalist |
|
9 |
AMR ABU AWDA |
31 October 2024 |
Photojournalist |
Details of Violations:
(1st Oct.) Israeli warplanes destroyed the home of journalist KHALED ABDUL HAMID SHAAT, a reporter for "Kanaan News Agency" and "Mahr News Agency," on the evening of Tuesday, October 1st.
Journalist KHALED ABDUL HAMID SHAAT (30 years old) stated to MADA Center that at around 8:20PM, on Tuesday, an Israeli F-16 warplane bombed his four-story house in "Al-Salam" neighborhood in Khan Younis, south of Gaza City, leveling it to the ground.
The house was bombed without prior warning while the journalist’s family was outside the house, and he was at his journalistic work in the journalists’ tent at "Nasser" Hospital. SHAAT learned of the bombing through a phone call from one of his neighbors. When he was able to reach the site in the morning hours, he found the house completely destroyed. He also lost his journalistic equipment and a computer he used in his work.
(2nd Oct.) AHMED SULEIMAN AL-ZARD (31 years old), a cameraman for "Al-Kufiya TV" was severely injured by shrapnel from an Israeli missile that hit a house he was staying in as a displaced person in the "Ma'an" area, south of Khan Younis, on Tuesday evening. He was transferred to the European Hospital the following morning.
According to the testimony of his daughter, RAGHAD AL-ZARD, at around 11:00PM, on Tuesday, October 1st, the house that sheltered their family in the "Ma'an" area was struck by an Israeli warplane. The plane fired a missile that hit the house, resulting in the martyrdom of four family members and the injury of eight others, including the journalist, who screamed upon being hit. It was later confirmed that he had been injured by shrapnel in his back, abdomen, legs, and right hand.
The journalist remained bleeding for more than four hours because an ambulance could not reach him, as the Israeli forces blocked access and refused to coordinate his evacuation. At around 3:30AM, an ambulance finally reached the site and transported him to the European Hospital, where his condition was described as critical.
(3rd Oct.) The Palestinian police detained journalist LAITH JA'AR, a reporter for Al Jazeera, for several hours on Thursday evening after he went to file a complaint against a security officer who had assaulted him while he was covering the victims of the "Tulkarem Camp Massacre" in front of Thabet Thabet Hospital.
According to LAITH JA'AR’s cousin, ODAI JA'AR, LAITH (27 years old) was assaulted by a Palestinian security officer who beat and insulted him, then threatened to shoot him on Thursday evening while LAITH was covering the Israeli attack on Tulkarem Refugee Camp. The Israeli airstrike, carried out by an F-16 jet, targeted a site within the camp, killing 20 people.
The assault on JA'AR came after several Palestinian Authority-affiliated channels and platforms, as well as Fatah movement pages, spread news and incitement against him on Telegram and other social media platforms, accusing him of collaborating with the Israeli occupation.
While the Israeli airstrike was taking place on the evening of Thursday, October 3rd, a group of Fatah-affiliated pages began circulating rumors that JA'AR had assisted the Israeli jets in targeting young people by allegedly conducting interviews with them shortly before the attack. This was despite the fact that JA'AR was at his residence in Allar village with friends at the time of the airstrike.
Around 11:00PM, an initial report was posted claiming that the young people in Tulkarem had discovered an informant who had provided the Israelis with information about the location of the resistance fighters. The report was followed by another stating that the informant was a journalist. Immediately, all security-affiliated pages began circulating this news, pointing fingers at LAITH JA'AR and sharing the information on social media platforms, Telegram channels, and WhatsApp groups.
On the morning of Friday, October 4th, LAITH JA'AR went to the Tulkarem Intelligence Center to file a complaint against the security officer who had assaulted him. While he was at the center, Palestinian police entered and arrested him due to an alleged case against him. JA'AR remained detained until 5:00PM, on Friday, October 4th, when he was released without any charges or conditions.
(4th Oct.) Israeli forces detained three journalists for one hour while they were covering an incident in which Israeli soldiers fired at a Palestinian youth near the DCO headquarters south of Hebron on Thursday evening. The soldiers only allowed the journalists to leave after they had deleted the footage from their cameras.
According to the testimony of MAMOUN WAZWAZ, a cameraman for Anadolu Agency and Xinhua News Agency, he, along with HAZEM BADER, a cameraman for AFP, and YOUSRI AL-JAMAL, a cameraman for Reuters, arrived around 5:30PM, on Thursday at the southern neighborhood of Hebron near the DCO headquarters after receiving news of an Israeli soldier shooting at a Palestinian citizen.
Upon arriving at the scene, the cameramen found that Israeli soldiers had closed off the road to Palestinian vehicles along the bypass road near the DCO headquarters. The three journalists stopped 100 meters away from the scene to cover the events. After several minutes, a Border Police officer approached and ordered them to move 50 meters further back. The journalists complied with the officer’s request, and after about half an hour, they finished their coverage and were about to leave.
At that point, several soldiers approached them, accompanied by a Civil Administration officer, who began yelling at them, claiming they were filming in a closed area, despite the fact that the journalists had adhered to the distance instructed by the soldiers. Another group of soldiers and Civil Administration officers arrived, and the officer continued to curse at the journalists, telling them they must hand over their cameras so the footage could be deleted, or they would face arrest for filming in a closed military zone.
The journalists handed over their cameras, and the soldiers deleted all the footage. They were then ordered to leave the area while continuing to be cursed at by the soldiers.
(4th Oct.) Israeli forces bombed the home of Al-Aqsa TV reporter, journalist SHADI ASFOUR, in Gaza City on Friday, October 4th, then demolished its remaining walls and set it on fire.
In his testimony, SHADI ASFOUR (48 years old), the reporter for Al-Aqsa TV, stated that Israeli naval boats fired several shells at his house, which overlooks the sea in Gaza City. The attack completely burned down his house, and then a military bulldozer came and demolished the remaining walls of the house and set it on fire, preventing fire trucks from reaching the scene.
ASFOUR, who had been displaced to Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, learned of the destruction and burning of his house while at work, preparing a news report on the situation in Gaza. He received a phone call from a neighbor informing him that his house had been completely destroyed.
Inside the house, the journalist lost much of his furniture, personal memories, and awards he had received for his journalistic work.
(5th Oct.) Israeli artillery shelled the vicinity of journalist WISSAM RADWAN’s house, who works at the Government Media Office in Gaza Strip, on Saturday afternoon, injuring his son KARIM with minor wounds.
According to journalist WISSAM ABDEL RAHIM RADWAN (39 years old), who provided his testimony to MADA Center researchers, at around 12:15PM, on Saturday, while he was sitting in his home in the town of Khuza'a, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, an Israeli shell landed near his house. The shell caused damage to his home and other homes in the area. Shrapnel scattered around him, so he dropped to the ground to avoid injury. However, the shrapnel hit his son KARIM, who was subsequently transported to the European Hospital for treatment.
(5th Oct.) Israeli forces arrested freelance journalist JIHAD AL-BADAWI as he was passing through the Container checkpoint north of Bethlehem on Saturday evening, after detaining him for about half an hour.
According to the testimony of ABDEL HAKIM AL-BADAWI, a relative of freelance journalist JIHAD ABDEL NASSER AL-BADAWI (38 years old), he was detained around 4:00PM, on Saturday at the Container checkpoint northwest of Bethlehem. His public transport vehicle, which he was riding in on his way home to the Al-Aroub refugee camp, was stopped by the Israeli soldiers.
At around 4:30PM, the soldiers confiscated the journalist’s two mobile phones and his laptop. They informed the vehicle driver to leave while JIHAD was detained and transferred to an unknown location.
(5th Oct.) The Facebook application, owned by Meta Inc., closed the official page of the Al-Balad News Network, which includes the Al-Balad Radio station. This was followed days later by the closure of the page belonging to journalist WARD SHALBAK, the radio's director and page administrator, under the pretext of violating the platform's community standards and policies.
The director of Al-Balad Radio, journalist WARD ZIYAD SHALBAK (28 years old), informed MADA Center’s field researcher that the radio’s Facebook page was continuously receiving reports from the company regarding posts related to the Israeli war on Gaza. These posts often included terms such as “Al-Qassam” or “Hezbollah”, or other references to involved parties. Additionally, the page received reports regarding news related to Israel, such as reports on fires in the north caused by rockets. Despite the fact that the journalist repeatedly sent objections to Meta, he did not receive any response.
On Saturday, October 5th, the company sent an email to journalist WARD (in his capacity as the page administrator), informing him that the radio's official account had been deleted, and giving him 180 days to request a review of the decision, provided he submitted personal photos for consideration.
A few days later, on Sunday, October 13th, the company permanently deleted journalist WARD's personal account as well, rejecting his appeal against the deletion decision.
(6th Oct.) HASSAN ABDUL RAHIM HAMAD, a journalist at Media Town Company, was killed at dawn on Sunday by Israeli airstrikes on Jabalia camp.
Journalist AHMED ABU AL-AISH, a colleague of HASSAN HAMAD ABDUL RAHIM HAMAD (27 years old), stated to a researcher at Mada Center that he was covering the occupation forces’ sudden storming of Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, where he documented the shooting and shelling first-hand and published it on his Facebook page and sent live footage to his fellow journalists in the field.
At around 5:00AM, on Sunday, a few hours after the coverage, the occupation artillery fired a shell directly at the journalist’s house while he was wearing a protective vest, which led to his immediate martyrdom and his body being turned into pieces. His family was unable to identify him due to the harsh scenes of his targeting and cold-blooded execution, as medical crews, accompanied by his father, collected the remains of his body and transferred it to Kamal Adwan Hospital before he was buried.
(7th Oct.) The occupation soldiers assaulted the freelance journalist ISHAQ RABHI ASAAD AL-KASBEH (50 years old) by beating him with a stick on his limbs while covering the storming of Qalandia camp on Monday morning, and obstructed his work after detaining him for about 3 hours.
According to the journalist's statement to a researcher from MADA Center, he went around 5:00AM, on Monday to cover the storming of Qalandia camp, and he was in an area 200 meters away from his home on the main street in the camp.
During the coverage, the officer approached him to ask him about the reason for filming, so he replied that he was a journalist and showed him his Palestinian press card, but he refused it and asked him to remove it, saying: "Let Abu Mazen and Nasrallah acknowledge it for you”.
The discussion between them escalated and ended with the officer threatening the journalist to stop filming or he would detain him. The journalist refused and insisted on his right to film, saying, “I am a journalist and this is my job”.
At 6:30AM, a male and female soldier from the occupation forces approached him and assaulted him with sticks on his limbs (hands and feet) and the soldier kicked him in the stomach and chest. At that point, his phone fell from his hand, and he was asked to open it to check the video footage, but the journalist told him that he did not know the secret code and that his son usually opens it, with the aim of procrastinating and misleading. The officer confiscated the phone and ID card for three hours during which ISHAQ remained sitting in a taxi office in the area. The officer returned at approximately 9:30AM to ask him to open the phone again. ISHAQ continued to mislead and procrastinate, saying that he had contacted his son but that he was far away on his way to the city of Nablus. At that point, the officer told him that there was an order to arrest him. The journalist argued with the officer, saying that he had not committed anything that warranted his arrest and that he was doing his journalistic work legally. The officer threw the phone and ID card from the “military jeep” and said in a threatening tone: “Take them, I don’t want to see you in the area, or I will shoot you”. ISHAQ received first aid in the field, and then went to the emergency room at a nearby health clinic in the town of Kafr Aqab to make sure that the bruises did not cause any damage to the rib cage due to the strong kicking to his chest, and the tests were good and free of health problems.
(7th Oct.) The Palestinian Intelligence Service in Ramallah arrested journalist and cameraman MOHAMMED TURKMAN (27 years old) from the Palestine Medical Complex square in central Ramallah and released him the following day after questioning.
According to MADA Center’s researcher, MOHAMMED TURKMAN, a cameraman for Al Jazeera, was covering the funeral of the martyr HATIM GEITH, who had been killed in Qalandiya refugee camp on Monday, October 7th. After completing the coverage and stepping away to send the photos and videos, he was surprised when two plainclothes intelligence officers arrested him and took him to the Intelligence Service headquarters in Al-Bireh, confiscating his ID and personal belongings.
Once at the headquarters, TURKMAN was placed in a cell for 8 hours before being interrogated for about an hour. During the interrogation, he was asked about his work and its nature, but also questioned about an issue unrelated to his professional activities. The main reason for his arrest, according to the investigator, was an incident that took place two months earlier.
During a Friday prayer in Al-Tireh neighborhood in Ramallah, the sermon was about a speech by the president during his visit to Turkey. According to the investigator, a smile that TURKMAN had while listening to the sermon was captured and documented, and this smile became the primary reason for his arrest.
TURKMAN was released the following day; despite initially being told he would be freed the same day.
(7th Oct.) The Palestinian General Intelligence Service arrested IBRAHIM SABARNA (21 years old), a student of media at Al-Quds Open University, after summoning him for an interview. He was later charged with possession of a weapon. He was released after several days on a personal bail of 2,000 Jordanian Dinars.
According to IBRAHIM’s father, MOHAMMED SABARNA, he received a phone call around 10:00AM on Monday, October 7th from the Palestinian General Intelligence Service in Halhoul, asking him to bring his son IBRAHIM to an interview the following morning at their headquarters, located north of Hebron.
IBRAHIM went to the headquarters as scheduled the next day. Upon arrival, he was placed in a waiting room and informed his father that he had been arrested. He was subsequently transferred to the Hebron office.
On the following Wednesday, October 9th, IBRAHIM was brought before the prosecutor at the Hebron Magistrate’s Court, where he was accused of possessing a weapon. The court extended his detention for 24 hours. On Thursday morning, October 10th, IBRAHIM was brought before the court again, where the prosecutor requested a 15-day extension for further investigation. However, after his lawyer’s defense, the court decided to extend his detention for just 5 days. IBRAHIM was returned to the Palestinian General Intelligence Service headquarters in Hebron.
On Tuesday, October 16th, IBRAHIM was presented before the court once again. After a legal plea from his lawyer, the court decided to release him on a bail of 2,000 Jordanian Dinars. Around 11:00AM, his father went to the Hebron intelligence headquarters to complete the release procedures. He waited until 2:00PM, only to be informed that there was no release order yet from the command in Ramallah.
The following morning, Thursday, October 17th, SHAKER TMAIZI, a lawyer from MADA Center, submitted a formal request to the Attorney General for IBRAHIM's immediate release. Despite this, the intelligence service continued to refuse his release without providing any legal justification.
As of the writing of this report, IBRAHIM SABARNA remains in detention by the Palestinian General Intelligence Service, 10 days after the court’s release order was issued.
(8th Oct.) Al Jazeera cameraman ALI HASSAN AL-ATTAR (27 years old) was injured at dawn on Monday by shrapnel in the head, which led to a brain hemorrhage as a result of drone strikes inside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. He was transferred to the hospital for treatment.
During his colleague ABDULLAH AL-ATTAR’s testimony to a researcher at MADA Center, he stated that the journalist was on a journalistic mission inside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, wearing a press uniform to cover the bombing of the displaced persons’ tents. During the coverage, a drone fired a missile near where he was, which led to him being injured by shrapnel in the head.
The journalist was transferred to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and then to the European Hospital in Khan Younis to complete his treatment, where it was found that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage.
(9th Oct.) The occupation forces targeted a number of journalists in the Al-Saftawi area in Jabalia by firing live bullets at them on Wednesday evening, which led to Al Jazeera cameraman FADI AL-WAHIDI being injured by a bullet in the neck, which led to a ruptured vertebrae, while the rest miraculously survived.
Al-Arabiya reporter ISLAM BADER stated that he was with the journalists: Al-Jazeera reporter ANAS AL-SHARIF and the TV’s cameraman FADI AL-WAHIDI in the "Al-Saftawi" neighborhood in Jabalia at around 5:00PM on Wednesday to prepare a press report on the suffering of the besieged residents. The journalists were committed to wearing press uniforms and press badges that show their identity. During the coverage, a "Quadcopter" drone targeted the press crews by firing directly to prevent them from covering the news, which led to Al-Jazeera cameraman FADI AL-WAHIDI being shot in the neck, which caused him to fall to the ground and continue to bleed until he lost consciousness, while the shooting continued. After a while, his colleagues were able to carry him and transport him via ambulance to the "Baptist" Hospital in Gaza City to receive treatment, while the rest of the team miraculously escaped death. Doctors said that FADI's health condition is extremely critical, as he suffered a rupture in the cervical vertebrae of his spine, and any delay in his treatment could cause him to become paralyzed in half, given that the health system is out of service and there is no specialized medical team to follow up on his condition.
(9th Oct.) Al-Aqsa TV cameraman MOHAMMED ROUHI AL-TANANI (26 years old) was killed and the TV’s reporter TAMER LABAD was injured with shrapnel in the abdomen and shoulder on Wednesday afternoon as a result of a missile fired from a drone, despite them wearing full press uniforms.
According to the statement of HAMADA AL-TANANI, a relative of the cameraman, the Al-Aqsa TV crew, consisting of photojournalist MOHAMMED AL-TANANI (27 years old) and reporter TAMER LABAD, were on a work mission in the vicinity of Abu Sharkh roundabout in Jabalia at around 4:00PM on Wednesday to cover the incursion of the occupation forces and the siege of the residents.
During the coverage, a drone fired a missile at the press crew, where the cameraman, AL-TANANI, was hit with shrapnel all over his body, leading to his immediate death, while the TV’s reporter, TAMER LABAD was hit with shrapnel in the abdomen, left shoulder and left hand and was transferred to the Baptist Hospital in Gaza via ambulance, where his injuries were described as serious, while the occupation prevented ambulances from reaching the body of the martyr MOHAMMED AL-TANANI for more than an hour, and after more than one attempt, the medical crews were able to reach him and transfer him to the Baptist Hospital.
(9th Oct.) On Wednesday, October 9TH, WAHHAJ JAMAL BANI MFLAH, a freelance journalist, was detained for 30 minutes by Israeli soldiers at the "Al-Murabba" checkpoint, south of Nablus, as he was leaving the city around 4:30PM.
According to WAHHAJ’s testimony to MADA Center, the soldiers stopped him, checked his personal ID and press credentials, and then thoroughly searched the camera equipment he was carrying for his journalistic work. They also confiscated his mobile phone, deleted some photos and video clips, and accessed his WhatsApp account. The soldiers proceeded to delete certain conversations and block some of his contacts.
After the extensive search and questioning, the soldiers released him but threatened him that if he filmed them in the future, he would "get into trouble."
This incident is a continuation of the harassment faced by journalists in Palestine, with Israeli forces targeting press workers by deleting content and threatening them for carrying out their work.
(10th Oct.) On Tuesday, October 10th, Israeli occupation forces demolished the home of journalist KHALED KHANA in the Shuyukh Al 'arrub, north of Hebron, under the claim that the house was built in Area C. Despite this, the journalist had applied for a building permit for the property.
According TO KHALED HAMED KHANA, the Director of the Ministry of Information’s Office in the South, who spoke to MADA Center, around 9:30AM that morning, a large force of Israeli soldiers, accompanied by the Civil Administration’s Building and Planning Department, entered the Shuyukh Al 'arrub area and began demolishing his two-story house. The home, measuring 2240 square meters, was ready for habitation, and KHANA had planned to move in with his seven-member family.
The demolition decision came on the basis that the occupation authorities claimed that the building was located within Area C, despite the journalist submitting a legal file in order to obtain a building permit.
(10th Oct.) In the early hours of Thursday, October 10th, Israeli special forces arrested freelance journalist MAHER SHAHER HAROON from the Al-Am'ari refugee camp near Ramallah, after breaking into his home and confiscating his phone.
According to an account provided by MAHER's father, around 5:30AM, a large force of around 30 Israeli soldiers raided their home in Al-Am'ari, smashing the doors and aggressively storming the house. The soldiers first broke into the daughters’ room, tearing down the door, and then proceeded to MAHER's room, where they seized his phone. They then blindfolded him, handcuffed him, and transported him in a military jeep.
A court hearing was held on October 22nd, during which the trial was postponed until October 28th. During the second session, the charges against MAHER were outlined, including "incitement" for allegedly throwing stones at Israeli forces and filming Palestinian youth throwing stones at soldiers.
The Israeli intelligence (Shin Bet) reportedly requested administrative detention for MAHER, but the court decided to postpone the trial until December 1st.
(11th Oct.) On Friday, October 11th, Israeli fighter jets (F-16) bombed the home of freelance journalist MAZEN NASR AL-BREEM (37 years old) in Al-Fukhari, east of Khan Younis, completely destroying the house.
According to a statement from the journalist provided to MADA, MAZEN received a call from a neighbor while he was working in the journalists’ tent at Nasser Hospital. The neighbor informed him that his home, a two-story building where he lived with his family, was targeted and destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. The bombing also affected nearby homes in the area.
MAZEN mentioned that he had been displaced from his original home in the Al-Fukhari area near Khan Younis about a year ago due to ongoing threats and bombardments in the region. He and his family were living in a tent in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis, and now, as a result of the airstrike, he has lost what little shelter he had left.
(11th Oct.) On the same day, Facebook (owned by Meta Inc.) suspended the account of MOHAMMED ABED, a reporter for Quds News Network.
MOHAMMED, a 29-year-old journalist, reported to MADA that he received an email from Meta at 7:40PM notifying him that his main Facebook account had been suspended for violating community standards. His account, which he had used since 2011, was closed due to alleged violations of platform policies. The company cited specific posts he had made with news reports, claiming they violated Facebook’s policies on "incitement." However, MOHAMMED insisted that the posts were simply news articles and were not intended to incite.
After receiving this notice, MOHAMMED filed an appeal with Meta to contest the decision. He was informed that if no action was taken on the appeal, his account might be permanently closed after 180 days. The incident is part of a broader pattern of journalists facing censorship or suppression on social media platforms for reporting on sensitive topics, including Israeli-Palestinian issues.
(11th Oct.) On Friday, October 11th, Facebook, owned by Meta, suspended the account of MOHAMMED ABED, a reporter for Quds News Network.
MOHAMMED, 29 years old, told MADA's researcher that he received an email from Meta at around 7:40PM, informing him that his main Facebook account, which he had held since 2011, had been closed due to violating community standards. The company cited his posts as being in violation of its policies, claiming they were inciting.
MOHAMMED had previously received warnings regarding other posts he had shared, which contained news content. However, he argued that these were news reports and did not violate any content policies. Meta, on the other hand, categorized them as incitement.
MOHAMMED has since filed an appeal with the company, contesting the decision. He was informed that if no further action is taken, his account could be permanently closed after 180 days.
(13th Oct.) The Israeli occupation authorities prevented journalist cameraman MAHFOUZ ABU TURK from renewing his residence permit in Jerusalem on Sunday, 13th Oct., claiming he was involved in "terrorist activities."
According to the testimony of the journalist MAHFOUZ MOHAMMED ABU TURK (75 years old) to MADA Center, he went on Sunday morning to the Israeli Ministry of Interior office in Jerusalem to renew his residence permit, as he does not hold a Jerusalem ID but only a permit. However, his request was denied and he was prevented from renewing the permit.
Two days later, the journalist went to the St Etienne Foundation for help, which sent a letter with an affidavit to the Israeli Ministry of Interior stating that the journalist had no activities against the state. As a result, the Ministry called him in for an interview on Sunday, 20th Oct., where they informed him that there was a report from the Israeli intelligence against him, claiming that he associates with "suspicious people" which led the intelligence to prevent the renewal of his residence permit.
In response, the journalist explained that he is a journalist who works with many people who may be considered suspicious from the intelligence’s perspective, but he does not engage in any activities against the state.
(14th Oct.) Freelance journalist SAFINAZ BAKR AL-LOUH was moderately injured with burns on her left hand and right foot during an airstrike on a tent housing displaced people near the journalists’ tent beside "Shuhada Al-Aqsa" Hospital early on Monday, while other female journalists narrowly escaped death.
Journalist NAHED ABU HARBEID told MADA Center that an Israeli reconnaissance drone fired a missile at a tent housing displaced people inside "Shuhada Al-Aqsa" Hospital, near the journalists’ tent, around 1:20AM on Monday. As a result, freelance journalist SAFINAZ BAKR AL-LOUH (33 years old) suffered burns to her left hand and right foot. She was transferred to the emergency department of the hospital, where her injuries were described as moderate.
As a result of this airstrike, journalists SHOROUK SHAHEEN, a reporter for "Syria TV," AMAL AL-WADIA, a reporter for "Nawa" News Network, and DUAA ROUQA, a reporter for "Al-Rafidain" TV, narrowly escaped certain death.
The strike caused significant damage to the tent where the female journalists were staying and working inside Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital. The fire consumed the tent’s furniture, bedding, and clothes, while a vehicle belonging to the U.S. Associated Press was damaged by shrapnel from the blast.
(13th Oct.) On October 13, Israeli occupation soldiers prevented a group of journalists from covering a campaign supporting landowners, organized by the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission in Al-Sahel area of "Ramin" village. The soldiers also forced them to leave the area. Additionally, one soldier detained journalist SHADI JARRAR'AH for about 15 minutes and threatened to open fire if he did not withdraw from the location.
SHADI YASSER JARRAR'AH (33 years old), a cameraman for Al-Ghad TV, reported to the field researcher from MADA Center that he was present in the plains of "Ramin" village, east of Tulkarem, along with his colleague, TV reporter KHALED BDEIR, and journalist MUATASEM SAKF AL-HAYT, a reporter for Quds News Network. They were covering the olive harvest season activities in Al-Sahel area, organized by the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, which held a campaign to support landowners after Israeli forces had prevented them from accessing the area and harvesting the olives.
At around 12:30PM, Israeli occupation forces prevented the journalists from covering the event and ordered everyone to leave the area. The journalists moved to a different location, but shortly afterward, settlers, escorted by soldiers, raided the area. One soldier attacked the cameraman JARRAR'AH in an attempt to seize his camera and demanded to check his ID. He was detained for approximately 15 minutes, after which the soldier drew his M16 rifle and threatened to fire if JARRAR'AH did not leave. JARRAR'AH immediately withdrew from the location.
(14th Oct.) Freelance cameraman ISLAM AHMED was injured by shrapnel in his left foot from a missile fired by an Israeli warplane on Monday morning in the town of "Jabalia" in the northern Gaza Strip.
According to a statement from his brother, MOHAMMED AHMED, cameraman ISLAM BAHAA AL-DIN AHMED (32 years old) was struck by shrapnel in his left foot as a result of a missile fired by an Israeli warplane targeting a group of civilians during a press coverage event in the town of "Jabalia" in northern Gaza around 10:30AM on Monday. The cameraman was wearing his press uniform and holding his camera at the time of the attack.
MOHAMMED added that ISLAM was transported to "Kamal Adwan" Hospital by ambulance to receive treatment, despite the dangerous field conditions and the presence of Israeli military vehicles near the area.
(14th Oct.) Journalist AYMAN ROWAISHED, who worked in the Photography and Satellite Monitoring Department at "Al-Aqsa" TV, was martyred on Monday afternoon after being struck by shrapnel from a missile fired by an Israeli warplane at a house in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza.
According to a testimony from his colleague, BILEMIN KHALLA, journalist AYMAN MOHAMMED ROWAISHED (39 years old) was martyred between 1:00PM and 2:00PM on Monday, after being hit by shrapnel from a missile fired by an Israeli fighter jet at a house in Jabalia camp, northern Gaza. He was instantly martyred due to injuries to the upper part of his body. His body was transported with difficulty by ambulance to "Kamal Adwan" Hospital, which was under siege due to heavy gunfire from drones targeting anyone moving in the area.
(14th Oct.) Israeli occupation soldiers detained freelance journalist ABDEL MOHSEN SHALALDA at a detention center near the "Gush Etzion" settlement after arresting him at a flying checkpoint at the entrance to Hebron on Monday afternoon. He was interrogated and physically assaulted before being released at 11:00PM.
According to a statement from journalist ABDEL MOHSEN SHALALDA to a field researcher from MADA Center, while he was returning home to Hebron around 4:00PM on Monday, soldiers stationed at a temporary military checkpoint at the northern entrance to the city, in "Ras al-Joura" area, stopped the vehicle he was in for a routine search and identity check. After checking the IDs, the soldiers ordered SHALALDA to exit the vehicle and stand next to the concrete blocks.
After waiting for about half an hour, the soldiers handcuffed his hands and blindfolded him with a piece of cloth before transferring him to the detention center in the "Gush Etzion" settlement, south of Bethlehem. There, he was held in a concrete room with a group of soldiers who forced him to kneel. One soldier kicked him in the genitals, and after about half an hour, the soldiers interrogated him about his work and activities. He remained in detention until 11:00PM, during which the soldiers filmed him while verbally abusing him with offensive and profane language. Around 11:30PM, he was transferred back to the Ras al-Joura area and released.
(14th Oct.) Israeli occupation police detained two journalists at the "Al-Qishleh" Interrogation Center on Monday morning for approximately 10 hours while they were in the Old City of Jerusalem preparing a report on the Jewish "Sukkot" holiday. They were released on the condition that they be banned from the Old City.
According to a statement from freelance journalist MOHAMMED SALEH AL-SHARIF (30 years old) to a MADA Center researcher, he and his colleague AMIR MOHAMMED ABDEL RABEH (31 years old), a reporter for TRT Turkish TV, went to the Old City of Jerusalem around 10:00AM on Monday to prepare a report on the Jewish "Sukkot" holiday.
While in the "Sharf" neighborhood, which is currently known as the "Jewish" quarter, conducting an interview with a Jewish individual, a police officer suddenly stopped them to check their IDs. After about ten minutes, the officer informed them that they were being detained on charges of "disturbing public order" and confiscated their mobile phones and cameras, preventing them from using them.
The two journalists were taken to the "Al-Qishleh" Interrogation Center in the "Bab al-Khalil" area, where they were made to wait for five hours. They were then interrogated individually for one hour each, with the questioning focusing on their personal lives and the report they were working on that day.
The family of journalist MOHAMMED contacted prisoner support lawyer YASSIN GAITH, who informed them that a lawyer from the Israeli Journalists’ Union, named "NIR," had contacted him. They submitted a request to pressure the investigator, arguing that the detention of journalists was illegal.
After an additional five-hour wait, the journalists were released on the condition that they remain away from the Old City of Jerusalem for one week. They were also required to sign documents acknowledging their responsibility for their statements during the interrogation and agreeing to pay a fine of 5,000 shekels if they violated the ban. They were also asked to leave their phones and cameras for a week, but they were able to retrieve them the following day.
(18/10) The home of journalist FATIMA AL-DAMMAH in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza, was severely damaged, and her mother was martyred after being struck by shrapnel in the shoulder when Israeli occupation forces detonated an explosive barrel targeting a residential area on Friday afternoon.
Israeli occupation forces detonated an explosive barrel targeting a residential block near the home of journalist FATIMA MOUSA AL-DAMMAH (37 years old), who works for the PDN electronic newspaper, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza, on Friday, October 18, 2024, at 11:40AM. The explosion caused significant damage to the house and its contents, while her mother was struck by shrapnel in the shoulder, leading to her immediate martyrdom.
According to a statement from journalist FATIMA MOUSA AL-DAMMAH, the Israeli soldiers, who had surrounded the Jabalia camp where she lives, approached her home, placed an explosive barrel nearby, and then detonated it remotely while she and her family were inside the house at around 11:40AM on Friday.
At the time of the explosion, FATIMA was in her home with her mother, following the latest developments of the Israeli military operation in northern Gaza in preparation for writing her report. She heard a large explosion, and shrapnel scattered, piercing the walls of the house. The journalist narrowly survived, but one of the shrapnel pieces struck her mother, who was nearby, injuring her in the shoulder and leading to her martyrdom.
(19th Oct.) Israeli occupation forces detained freelance journalist YAZAN HISHAM HAMAYEL after arresting him while he was covering the settlers’ attack on the "Jabal Sabih" area in the town of "Beta," south of Nablus, on Saturday afternoon. He was then held in a nearby settlement, where he was subjected to verbal and physical abuse, and was released after four hours at the "Za’tara" checkpoint.
In his statement, journalist YAZAN HISHAM HAMAYEL (24 years old) told a MADA Center field researcher that at 4:00PM on Saturday, he went to cover the settlers’ attack on "Al-Yitmawi" area in "Jabal Sabih," in the town of Beta, south of Nablus, where Israeli soldiers were also present.
After the soldiers withdrew, he, along with an ambulance, went to inspect the area and document the location of the attack. However, he was suddenly surprised by an ambush set up by Israeli forces, who stopped and detained him along with the ambulance crew. His two mobile phones, which he had been using for coverage, were confiscated.
After the first half-hour of detention, the ambulance crew was released, but the journalist remained seated on his knees, subjected to verbal abuse and threats of physical violence, especially after the soldiers found some journalistic materials on his phone, including video clips and their sources from WhatsApp news groups.
The journalist remained in this position for nearly 20 minutes, during which one of the soldiers bound his hands tightly and blindfolded him before placing him in a military vehicle and transporting him to an unknown location. Based on his estimates, it was likely the nearby "Evitar" settlement.
Throughout the journey to the settlement, the journalist was verbally abused and kicked by soldiers, all while wearing his press attire. The soldiers only removed the blindfold to take a photo of him, then placed him in a room. The officer in charge later arrived and removed the handcuffs after noticing that his hands had turned blue due to the tight restraints.
The journalist was then returned to the military vehicle, dropped off near the "Za'tara" checkpoint, where his phones were returned to him, and he was released after being detained for about four hours.
(19th Oct.) A "Quadcopter" drone fired heavily at a gathering point of journalists and paramedics at the "Al-Awda" Hospital in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, central Gaza, on Saturday evening, with no injuries reported.
Cameraman AHMAD AL-LOUH, a reporter for Al-Jazeera, told MADA Center that a drone flew low over the skies of "Al-Awda" Hospital at around 9:50PM on Saturday and then opened fire heavily on the area where journalists and paramedics were gathered. Fortunately, no one was injured, although the gunfire hit the walls of one of the Hospital’s departments.
Both journalist AL-LOUH and journalist IBRAHIM ALI were able to continue their work despite the presence of another drone in the area.
(21st Oct.) Israeli occupation aircraft targeted the home of freelance journalist TAREK AL-DAQS in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza, around 4:15PM on Monday, completely destroying it while he and his family were inside. The attack resulted in injuries to his hands, head, and multiple bruises across his body.
Freelance journalist TAREK AL-DAQS (29 years old) told a MADA Center researcher that at approximately 4:15PM on Monday, his home in the Jabalia refugee camp was bombed while he was inside. The two-story house collapsed on top of him. He was rescued with great difficulty by Civil Defense teams after being trapped between the walls and debris. AL-DAQS sustained injuries to both of his hands, his head, and various bruises across his body. His mother and sister were seriously injured, and several of his relatives who were inside the house were martyred.
The journalist lost all of his personal belongings, including his journalistic equipment (laptop, mobile phones), which he had been using to cover the ongoing conflict in northern Gaza.
(22nd Oct.) Israeli occupation forces arrested NIDAL ALYAN (37 years old), Head of the News Department at "Al-Quds Today" TV and a journalist, on Tuesday, and took him to an unknown location after storming the area surrounding "Kamal Adwan" Hospital in northern Gaza.
Journalist MAHMOUD AL-AWADHIYA told MADA Center that soldiers blindfolded and handcuffed NIDAL ALYAN, stripped him of his clothes, and then placed him in a military truck along with several other citizens who had been arrested in the Jabalia refugee camp, according to eyewitnesses. No information has been provided regarding the conditions or location of his detention.
(23rd Oct.) The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued an official statement on Wednesday evening, inciting against six journalists working for the Al-Jazeera network in the Gaza Strip, accusing them of being affiliated with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement.
According to statements from the six field reporters and photojournalists, all of whom work for Al-Jazeera and Al-Jazeera Live in Gaza, the Israeli military issued an official statement accusing them of belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. This statement was widely circulated through media outlets and Hebrew-language social media pages. The journalists, along with the TV they work for and the Gaza Government’s Media Office, have denied these accusations.
All six journalists united in condemning the charges, calling them fabrications and accusing the Israeli occupation of having malicious intent to silence the Palestinian voice and image that exposes its crimes against civilians in the Gaza Strip. They believe this incitement constitutes an Israeli decision to target and eliminate them, similar to previous incidents where Al-Jazeera journalists and others have been cold-bloodedly executed simply for being from Gaza and covering the war events.
Journalist ISMAIL ABU OMAR was targeted by Israeli forces in March during a journalistic assignment for Al-Jazeera in Khan Younis. He was critically injured, and one of his legs had to be amputated. He is one of the six journalists named in the incitement, and he is currently receiving treatment in Qatar.
The five remaining journalists named in the statement fear for their lives, as they continue to work in the field in both northern and southern Gaza. This incitement, coming from the highest military levels in the occupying state, leaves them unprotected amid recurring threats. These journalists have been working for Al-Jazeera since the beginning of the conflict, and they have no other roles that the army accuses them of being involved in.
(23rd Oct.) Israeli artillery targeted the home of journalist ABDULHAMID MOHAMMED ABDUL-ATEE, a program presenter at "Sawt Al-Watan" radio station, on Wednesday morning, completely burning it down.
According to a statement from ABDULHAMID MOHAMMED ABDUL-ATEE (39 years old), a program presenter at "Sawt Al-Watan" radio, his apartment, located on the third floor of a building in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, was hit by a shell at around 7:30AM on Wednesday, causing it to catch fire. Firefighting vehicles were unable to reach the area due to the siege on the town and the heavy gunfire from drones and military vehicles.
Journalist ABDUL-ATEE and his family had evacuated the home before it was set on fire, following orders from the Israeli forces, who had instructed residents of Beit Lahiya to leave. The damage was limited to material losses, as the fire consumed all the contents of the home, including furniture and walls.
(23rd Oct.) Israeli occupation forces arrested OSAMA AL-DURINI, a reporter for "Sawt Al-Shaab" radio, on Wednesday morning during an Israeli raid on a school sheltering displaced persons in the town of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, and took him to an unknown location.
According to eyewitness ABDULRAHMAN AL-WAHIDI, Israeli soldiers stormed a school in Beit Lahiya and ordered the displaced residents to gather in the schoolyard. Several men were arrested, including OSAMA SOBHI AL-DURINI (38 years old), the reporter for "Sawt Al-Shaab" radio. He was blindfolded, verbally abused, and taken to an unknown location, with no information about the circumstances or location of his detention. The soldiers also instructed his wife and children to make their way to Gaza City under difficult and harsh conditions.
(24th Oct.) Israeli occupation forces arrested journalist MAHMOUD KHALIL AL-SHABRAWI on Thursday afternoon as he passed through a checkpoint set up by the army near the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza. He had been covering the ongoing events in the northern Gaza Strip, particularly the assault on the Jabalia refugee camp and Kamal Adwan Hospital.
In his statement, journalist MAHMOUD AL-SHABRAWI (24 years old), who works for the "New Press" platform, explained that he was conducting a live broadcast for the platform when he was arrested at the checkpoint set up by Israeli forces near the “Indonesian Hospital”. The soldiers had instructed residents of Jabalia refugee camp to head toward the checkpoint.
When AL-SHABRAWI arrived at the checkpoint, the soldiers ordered him to stop, subjected him to a search, and then arrested him. He was blindfolded, handcuffed for several hours, and taken along with a group of civilians into one of the nearby houses, where he was held in very harsh conditions. During his detention, he was interrogated under threat of violence and insulted, without food or water.
He was released on Saturday, October 26th, after two days of detention. The soldiers instructed him to head south and not return to the northern Gaza Strip.
(25th Oct.) The occupation forces assaulted and verbally abused two journalists after arresting them from Kamal Adwan Hospital on Friday while they were covering the events. They were taken for long distances, detained and interrogated about their media work before being released and prevented from returning to cover the events.
According to the field researcher of the Mada Center, the occupation forces detained both Al-Ghad TV cameraman ABDUL KARIM FARID AL-ZUWAIDI (22 years old) and freelance journalist ABOUD BATTAH (19 years old) after storming Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip at around 7:00AM on Friday morning, where they were present to cover the events.
Journalist AL-ZUWAIDI reported that the soldiers took him and a number of citizens outside the hospital after stripping him of his clothes, abusing him, beating him and cursing him. He walked for a long distance blindfolded and handcuffed. The soldiers also interrogated him about his journalistic work after asking him to sit on his feet for a long time before releasing him and forcing him to go to Gaza City, and not allowing him to return to the hospital, where he lost his journalistic uniform, shield, helmet and personal belongings when the army stormed the place.
For his part, journalist ABOUD BATTAH reported that the occupation soldiers detained him, his brother and a number of citizens, and then led them out of the hospital surrounded by tanks, blindfolded them, handcuffed them, beat them and abused them, where he was severely beaten in the stomach and back. The soldiers put him in a large hole and interrogated him about his journalistic work and his posts on his personal page on Facebook and TikTok, where he received a threat from one of the soldiers during his interrogation to pursue him again and kill him if he continued with journalistic coverage. He was then released and asked to go to the southern Gaza Strip.
(27th Oct.) Four journalists were killed when Israeli warplanes targeted the "Asmaa" school, which houses displaced people in the Al-Shati camp, west of Gaza City, on Sunday afternoon.
According to the field follow-up of MADA Center, the head of the digital media department at Al-Aqsa TV, journalist SAED RADWAN (45 years old), journalist HAMZA ABU SALMIYA (27 years old), who works as an editor at the "Sanad News Agency", journalist HANIN BAROUD (34 years old), a media professional at the "Al-Quds" Foundation, and journalist NADIA IMAD AL-SAYED (28 years old), who works as a program producer and presenter at the "Amwaj" TV, were killed as a result of targeting the "Asmaa" school, which houses displaced people in the Al-Shati camp, with Israeli missiles. The missile hit the place where they were in one of the school's classrooms, and a number of them were preparing a media report on the lives of the displaced people inside the school before the targeting.
The bodies of the four journalists were turned into pieces, and it was difficult to identify them after their features disappeared. The four journalists were displaced persons who had taken shelter in the targeted school after fleeing with their families from death and shelling from the northern Gaza Strip and Gaza City, where a number of them lost their homes at the beginning of the war.
On the same day, the martyrdom of journalist ABDUL RAHMAN SAMIR AL-TANANI (24 years old) from Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip was announced.
According to the statement of ISMAIL AL-THAWABTA, Director of the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip, journalist ABDUL RAHMAN SAMIR AL-TANANI (24 years old) was killed in shelling that hit Jabalia in the first month of the war on the Gaza Strip on 18th Oct. 2023, but he was not announced as a martyred journalist until Sunday, 27th Oct., a year after his martyrdom. The journalist worked for the "Zaman" and "Al-Shaab" Radio Stations, where he covered the events at the beginning of the war on the Strip live.
(28th Oct.) On Monday evening, Instagram, a platform owned by Meta, suspended the official account of journalist HAFEZ MAHMOUD SABRA, a reporter for Roya TV, which has around 130,000 followers.
HAFEZ MAHMOUD SABRA (34 years old) informed MADA Center that at 3:00PM on Monday, while browsing social media, he discovered that his Instagram account had been deactivated. He received a notification indicating that the account had been closed, but he was given the option to submit a review request. However, after submitting the review request, he received no response.
In recent months, the journalist had been receiving notifications and warning messages from the platform indicating that his content allegedly promoted violence and violated the platform’s community guidelines, despite the fact that he is a journalist and the content he posts is related to national affairs, the war in Gaza, and the West Bank.
(29th Oct.) Israeli forces detained HISHAM KAMAL ABU SHUKRA, a cameraman for the Turkish Anadolu Agency, for about half an hour in the village of Qusra south of Nablus, while he was covering popular activities in support of olive pickers in lands near settlements on Tuesday morning.
According to HISHAM KAMAL ABU SHUKRA (36 years old), the cameraman, who spoke to MADA Center, a group of journalists had gathered in Qusra, located south of Nablus, around 10:20AM on Tuesday to cover the grassroots campaigns organized by the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission to assist farmers in the village in accessing their lands near the settlements. The village is surrounded by three settlements.
During the coverage, the soldiers fired tear gas canisters at citizens attempting to reach their lands, which led to fires breaking out in the fields. While the cameraman was approaching the scene to cover the event, he was detained by the soldiers for half an hour. The soldiers asked him to show both his personal identification card and his press card before releasing him.
Other journalists present during the coverage included: Anadolu Agency reporter ISSAM AL-RIMAWI, French Agency cameraman JAAFAR ASHTEYEH, Xinhua News Agency cameraman NIDAL ASHTEYEH, and Associated Press cameraman NASSER ASHTEYEH.
(31st Oct.) Two journalists were injured and bruised in different parts of their bodies on Thursday evening while covering the Israeli airstrikes on a house in the Nuseirat camp. According to the statement of Al Jazeera journalist TALAL MAHMOUD AL-AROUQI (26 years old), he and his colleague, Al-Ghad reporter MAHMOUD AL-LOUH (34 years old), went with ambulances at around 7:30PM on Thursday wearing full press uniforms with press badges to cover the bombing of a house in the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip. After 10 minutes of covering the bombing and the medical crews evacuating the martyrs and the injured, the place was bombed again by a warplane, which led to the scattering of shrapnel and stones around the presence of journalists and ambulances, as the two journalists fell to the ground due to the force of the explosion. It was found that journalist AL-AROUQI was injured by a stone in his right foot and bruises in different parts of his body, while journalist AL-LOUH was injured by shrapnel in his left hand and head and bruises in his body. They were transferred by ambulance to Al-Awda Hospital, where they remained under medical supervision for hours.
(31st Oct.) Freelance journalist AMR ABU ODEH was killed on Thursday after sustaining several shrapnel wounds to his body after a drone bombed a gathering of citizens near the “Al-Shati” camp west of Gaza City. According to the testimony of YOUSEF SAADAT, a close friend of freelance journalist AMR NAHED ABU ODEH (26 years old), at around 2:30PM on Thursday, a drone targeted a group of citizens near the market of the “Al-Shati” camp west of Gaza City, where the journalist was present, which led to his immediate martyrdom after sustaining several shrapnel wounds to various parts of his body.
