Journalists Face Systematic Targetting Amid Ongoing War.

Ramallah; May 2026: Prisoner’s and human rights institutions has said today (03rd May 2026) that over nearly three years of ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, Israel has intensified systematic targeting of journalists as part of a broader policy aimed at silencing the Palestinian voice and erasing its narrative.

In a report issued on World Press Freedom Day, the Commission of Detainees Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, and the Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights said the targeting has included direct killings, arbitrary detentions, systematic harassment, and threats, marking one of the most lethal periods in the history of Palestinian journalism.

The institutions said that since the start of the war, more than 260 journalists have been killed, while over 240 have been detained, with more than 40 still in custody. They noted that among those detained are 20 journalists held under administrative detention without charges or trial on the basis of “secret files”, including 04 women journalists.

They identified recent detainee Islam Amarneh, detained from Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem, as part of this pattern of continued targeting, noting she is the sister of another journalist held under administrative detention. They added that at least 14 journalists from Gaza remain detained, while two others: Nidal al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdel Wahed both remain forcibly disappeared, in a grave violation of international law.

The report also cited the death of journalist Marwan Harzallah in March 2026 inside Megiddo prison, saying he died due to a policy of medical neglect despite his known health condition, including a previous injury that led to the amputation of one of his legs.

The institutions also referred to cases of forced house arrest, including journalists Sumayya Jawabreh and Bayan al-Ju’ba, as well as systematic bans and restrictions on journalists in Jerusalem, particularly around Al-Aqsa Mosque, including forced removal, reporting bans, harassment, and intimidation. They have further asserted the targeting of journalists is part of a long-standing policy against the Palestinian narrative, which has intensified during the ongoing war, as journalists play a key role in documenting and exposing events to the world.

The report documented testimonies from detained journalists describing a systematic campaign of torture inside Israeli prisons and detention centers, including physical and psychological abuse, starvation, sexual violence, humiliation, denial of medical care, and harsh detention conditions, including isolation and denial of Red Cross visits.

It also highlighted the deteriorating health of released journalists, including Majed Bani Muflih, who suffered a brain hemorrhage after release, and Ali al-Sammoudi, who lost around 60 kilograms during one year in administrative detention.

The institutions stressed that targeting journalists through killing, detention, or enforced disappearance violates international human rights law, including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the protections granted under the Geneva Conventions. They added that such acts may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute when carried out as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians.

Earlier, on 30th April this year, the Israeli authorities have released Palestinian journalist and detainee Ali Al-Sammoudi, 59, following a year of arbitrary detention without charges or trial. Al-Sammoudi appeared with significantly altered physical features upon his release, including severe weight loss attributed to systematic starvation practices within Israeli detention camps. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society cited repeated abuse, torture, denial of basic rights, and frequent transfers accompanied by assaults during his detention.

The organisation noted that Al-Sammoudi is among more than 3,530 administrative detainees currently imprisoned by Israel without charges or trial, as well as over 40 journalists, including 04 women, who remain in custody. It added that detainees are facing extremely harsh conditions within prisons.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society explained that journalists continue to be targeted through escalating detention policies aimed at restricting freedom of expression. This comes alongside ongoing reports of violence against media workers, with more than 260 journalists killed since the beginning of the ongoing Israeli aggression in October 2023, in addition to a significant rise in detention campaigns compared to previous periods of unrest.

The organisation has renewed its call for the immediate release of all detained journalists and called for the disclosure of the fate of journalists from Gaza who are being held under conditions of enforced disappearance.

It also called on the United Nations and international institutions to assume their legal and humanitarian responsibilities, urging concrete action to address violations against detainees and to move beyond issuing statements and warnings.

Team Maverick.