Israeli Forces Detain 49 Palestinian Journalists Since October

Israeli forces arrested veteran Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi in an early morning raid in Jenin, adding to a growing number of Palestinian journalists detained since October 2023. Al-Samoudi, a correspondent for Al-Quds newspaper and contributor to international outlets, was previously injured in the 2022 incident that killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Human rights groups and journalist associations have condemned his arrest, citing an intensifying campaign to suppress Palestinian media coverage, including administrative detentions and targeting journalists for alleged 'incitement' based on social media activity. Reports indicate that at least 49 Palestinian journalists are currently held in Israeli prisons, with 19 under administrative detention without charge, and that arrest raids in Jenin and elsewhere have become routine. The Committee to Protect Journalists notes that at least 84 journalists have been arrested since the start of the war in Gaza, and hundreds of journalists and media workers have been killed or injured. Advocacy groups argue these actions aim to silence documentation of human rights violations and restrict freedom of expression for Palestinian journalists.