Gaza Herald — Palestinian human rights and press freedom organizations have documented widespread arrests, prolonged detention without trial, alleged torture, and enforced disappearances of journalists held by Israel, warning that these practices are intensifying an already devastating assault on Palestinian journalism.
According to figures cited by Palestinian prisoners’ rights organizations, more than 250 journalists have been arrested or detained by Israeli authorities since October 2023, while dozens remain imprisoned, including journalists held under administrative detention orders without formal charges or trial.
The arrests have taken place against the backdrop of extensive Israeli military attacks on Gaza, where hundreds of Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed and news organizations have suffered widespread destruction.
Gaza’s Government Media Office has reported that Israeli attacks have killed more than 260 Palestinian journalists since the war began, while destroying or damaging media offices, broadcasting facilities, printing presses, and journalists’ homes.
The office also documented the destruction of 32 journalists’ families and damage to 53 homes belonging to media workers, estimating direct losses to Gaza’s media sector at more than $800 million.
These figures reflect the Government Media Office’s documentation and differ from those maintained by international press freedom organizations, which apply their own verification criteria.
Dozens of Journalists Detained Without Trial
Palestinian prisoners’ rights organizations have reported the detention of dozens of journalists in Israeli prisons, including women and media workers from Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Figures published by the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate in September identified 39 detained journalists, including 21 held under administrative detention.
Administrative detention allows Israeli authorities to imprison Palestinians without filing criminal charges or conducting a conventional trial, frequently relying on classified evidence that detainees and their lawyers cannot fully examine.
Palestinian rights organizations say the practice has been used repeatedly against journalists, restricting their ability to challenge detention orders and return to their work.
Among the journalists subjected to detention and isolation is Bushra al-Tawil, who was transferred to solitary confinement at Ramleh Prison, according to Palestinian prisoners’ rights groups.
The organizations have raised concerns about her conditions of detention, access to medical care, and the psychological consequences of prolonged isolation.
Rights groups have also documented allegations of physical abuse, inadequate medical treatment, and restrictions on communication with lawyers and families.
They warn that such practices expose detained journalists to serious risks while limiting independent scrutiny of their treatment.
Two Palestinian Media Workers Die in Israeli Custody
The deaths of Palestinian journalist Ihab Diab and media worker Marwan Harzallah in Israeli detention have prompted demands for independent investigations.
Diab, a Gaza photographer associated with Ain Media, died in Israeli custody on September 18, 2024, according to information subsequently provided by Israeli authorities.
His death was formally acknowledged to Palestinian detainees’ representatives in August 2026, nearly two years later.
Israeli authorities attributed his death to an underlying medical condition, an explanation disputed by his family, who said he had been healthy before his arrest.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Harzallah, a technician with Palestine TV, died on March 28, 2026, while held under administrative detention at Israel’s Megiddo Prison.
He had been arrested on January 8, 2026, at his home in Zawata, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
His family raised concerns about possible torture and medical neglect, although the precise cause of his death has not been independently established.
CPJ called on Israeli authorities to explain both deaths, return the men’s bodies to their families, and ensure independent investigations.
Gaza Journalists Remain Missing After Israeli Detention
Palestinian rights organizations have also raised concerns over the unresolved fate of journalists who disappeared during Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Journalists Nidal al-Wuhidi and Haitham Abdel Wahed have been missing since October 7, 2023.
Palestinian organizations have reported that both were detained by Israeli forces, but their whereabouts and legal status have not been adequately clarified.
Journalist Ahmed al-Agha has also been reported missing since an Israeli military operation in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in March 2024.
Their cases have prompted calls for Israeli authorities to disclose their whereabouts, clarify whether they remain in custody, and allow access to legal representation and family contact.
Human rights organizations warn that prolonged concealment of a detainee’s fate or whereabouts can constitute enforced disappearance under international law.
Allegations of Torture and Medical Neglect
Former Palestinian journalist detainees have described harsh prison conditions, including physical assaults, insufficient food, prolonged isolation, and denial of adequate medical treatment.
Journalist Ali al-Samoudi has reported severe weight loss and lasting health problems following his imprisonment.
Palestinian prisoners’ rights organizations say some journalists have been detained or prosecuted over material published as part of their professional work, including photographs, social media posts, and reporting on Israeli military operations.
Israeli authorities have cited security concerns and allegations of incitement in cases involving detained journalists.
Press freedom organizations maintain that journalism must not be criminalized merely because reporting documents military operations, uses Palestinian political terminology, or challenges official Israeli narratives.
They stress that any criminal allegations must be supported by evidence and examined through fair judicial proceedings.
Calls for International Action to Protect Palestinian Journalists
Palestinian prisoners’ rights organizations have urged international media federations, human rights institutions, and United Nations bodies to intervene over the detention and alleged mistreatment of Palestinian journalists.
They are demanding the release of journalists arbitrarily detained for their professional activities, an end to detention without trial, independent investigations into deaths in custody, and disclosure of the whereabouts of missing media workers.
The organizations have also called for accountability for unlawful attacks on journalists and media institutions in Gaza.
The combined impact of killings, arrests, disappearances, and the destruction of media infrastructure has severely weakened Palestinian news organizations’ ability to report from Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Rights groups warn that without effective international scrutiny, detained journalists will remain vulnerable to abuse while Palestinian communities face further restrictions on their ability to document and report violations.
