Gaza: The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate on Wednesday condemned Israel's continued detention and targeting of Palestinian journalists, stating the number of detained journalists has risen to 38. The Syndicate reported that journalist Niqaa Hamed was detained on Tuesday at a military checkpoint in Tuqu' town, southeast of Bethlehem.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Israeli forces stopped Hamed's vehicle near a military tower in Tuqu' as she returned from Hebron, where she had been reporting for the English-language Turkish channel TRT. Hamed, who is a mother of three and holds U.S. citizenship, suffers from diabetes and other health issues. The Syndicate expressed concerns for her well-being due to harsh detention conditions and insufficient medical care.
The Syndicate noted that Hamed's detention is part of a broader campaign against Palestinian journalists, citing recent detentions of journalists Muath Ammarneh and Sabri Jibril after Israeli forces raided their homes in the Bethlehem governorate. Ammarneh has been detained three times, underscoring ongoing targeting of journalists for their professional activities.
Concern was also raised over journalist Bushra al-Tawil's transfer to solitary confinement in Ramleh, amid increased isolation measures against Palestinian women prisoners. Data from the Syndicate and prisoners' institutions reveal that among the 38 detained journalists, five are women, and approximately half are held under administrative detention without charges or trial.
The Syndicate criticized a 48-month prison sentence imposed on journalist Mahmoud Fatafta for alleged "incitement," marking the longest sentence for a Palestinian journalist in such cases during the aggression period. They assert that these actions restrict press freedom and hinder journalists from reporting and documenting violations.
Highlighting the harsh detention conditions, the Syndicate called for international intervention to address risks such as starvation, medical neglect, and torture faced by detained journalists. It urged the international community, United Nations, and human rights organizations to press Israel for the immediate release of Hamed and other detained journalists, end administrative detention and prosecutions related to journalistic work, and protect Palestinian journalists to ensure their safety and freedom to report.