Gaza Herald – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released disturbing testimonies from five Palestinian journalists from Gaza who were detained by Israeli occupation forces following the outbreak of the war in October 2023.
Their accounts document what the organization describes as serious violations linked directly to their journalistic work and efforts to report events on the ground. The testimonies highlight the dual threat faced by Palestinian journalists, who have endured both military attacks and detention while carrying out their professional duties.
Among the most striking accounts is that of journalist Shadi Abu Seido, who was detained while covering events inside Al-Shifa Medical Complex in March 2024. His detention lasted 572 days, during which he was transferred between several detention facilities. According to RSF, he emerged from custody suffering severe physical and psychological consequences, including the loss of vision in one eye and multiple health complications that have prevented him from returning to journalism.
The testimonies also reveal the devastating personal and professional losses suffered by released journalists. Journalist Alaa Al-Sarraj stated that upon his release, he discovered that his home, vehicle, and journalistic equipment had been destroyed. His media institution also suffered extensive damage, losing part of its archive and several staff members who were killed, missing, or detained during the war, underscoring the heavy toll on Gaza’s media sector.
The journalists emphasized that they clearly identified themselves as members of the press at the time of their arrest and presented their press credentials to Israeli soldiers. Despite this, they were detained and transferred to interrogation and detention centers. Several reported that interrogations focused extensively on their journalistic activities, field reporting, professional contacts, and coverage of events in Gaza, raising concerns that they were targeted because of their work documenting developments on the ground.
According to the report, detainees were subjected to harsh detention conditions, including inadequate medical care, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, prolonged blindfolding, and various forms of mistreatment. Some journalists remained imprisoned under Israel’s “Unlawful Combatants Law,” which allowed authorities to repeatedly extend their detention through expedited legal procedures with limited access to legal representation and due process.
RSF stated that the evidence gathered points to a troubling pattern of violations against Palestinian journalists and renewed its call for the immediate release of all detained media workers. The organization stressed that journalists must be protected under international law and allowed to carry out their work without fear of persecution. Despite attempts to silence them, the testimonies demonstrate the crucial role Palestinian journalists continue to play in documenting events and bringing the realities of Gaza to the world’s attention.
