Arrests of Palestinian journalists since start of Israel-Gaza war

Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, an unprecedented number of journalists and media workers have been arrested — often without charge — in what they and their attorneys say is retaliation for their journalism and commentary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As of June 1, CPJ has documented a total of 42 arrests of journalists in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza and in the city of Jerusalem, claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as a capital, since the war began on October 7, 2023. Israel arrested 39; Palestinian authorities arrested three.

Eleven of these journalists, including the three held by Palestinian authorities, have since been released, while 31 remain under arrest.

At least 14 of the journalists arrested by Israel are being held under administrative detention, a policy under which a military commander may detain an individual without charge, typically for six months, on the grounds of preventing them from committing a future offense. Detention can be extended an unlimited number of times.

(Editor’s note: These numbers are being updated regularly as more information becomes available.)

“Since October 7, Israel has been arresting Palestinian journalists in record numbers and using administrative detention to keep them behind bars, thus depriving the region not only of much needed information, but also of Palestinian voices on the conflict,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna in New York. “If Israel wants to live up to its self-styled reputation of being the only democracy in the Middle East, it needs to release detained Palestinian journalists and stop using military courts to hold them without evidence.”

In its 2023 prison census, CPJ documented the imprisonment by Israeli authorities of 17 Palestinian journalists, the highest number of media arrests in Israel and the Palestinian territories since CPJ began tracking jailed journalists in 1992.

However, the number of journalists behind bars may be higher than CPJ’s records show as it has become increasingly difficult to verify information during the war. Due process is failing, with lawyers and families often unable to find out why journalists have been arrested.

CPJ is still working to research, document, and verify reports about the arrest of at least 28 other journalists in Gaza and the West Bank not included in this list. (Read more here about our methodology.)

Neither Israel’s domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, nor the Palestinian General Intelligence Service replied to CPJ’s emailed requests for comment about those arrested. zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv zxv

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