Press Freedom Under Siege: Arrests of Palestinian Journalists Since October 2023

December 17, 2024 – Palestine/Israel –

Since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023, over 86 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been detained by Israeli authorities—a scale of repression unprecedented in recent history. Many arrests occurred without charge, particularly through the administration’s broad use of administrative detention. Initial waves in October 2023 saw noted journalists such as Abdel Nasser al‑Laham, Moath Amarneh, Mustafa al‑Khawaja, and Sabri Jibril taken into custody. Their arrests were carried out in pre-dawn raids, often involving broken doors, confiscation of electronic devices, and allegations that their social media commentary or affiliation with media outlets like J‑Media posed security threats.

Among those detained, Abdel Nasser al‑Laham endured harsh treatment: shackled in stress positions for extended interrogation, deprived of communication for 12 days, and ultimately sentenced to 19 months plus a substantial fine. His sentence was later converted to a reduced three-year suspended term, and he was freed in May 2025. Moath Amarneh, wounded in a protest in 2019 by a rubber bullet that damaged his eye, was arrested on the same day and placed in administrative detention, where he reportedly suffered beatings and denial of medical care. He was released in July 2024.

Mustafa al‑Khawaja and Sabri Jibril were similarly detained in October 2023 for their journalism, subjected to round‑the‑clock interrogation without formal charges, and later imprisoned under military detention practices. Across the West Bank and Gaza, dozens of journalists have been arrested in raids, often stripped of equipment and held without due process. CPJ reports that many detainees were accused of incitement or posing security risks—charges that critics argue are vague and politically motivated.

By early 2024, dozens of journalists remained in custody, with Israeli military courts relying heavily on administrative detention laws that allow prolonged detention without trial. Multiple reports from Addameer and other human rights organizations describe prison conditions as abysmal, with limited access to legal counsel, inadequate nutrition, and episodes of physical abuse. These arrests have not only endangered individual journalists but have also severely undermined independent journalism in the region. The systematic targeting of reporters underlines a broader strategy to stifle information flow, silence critical voices, and restrict civic space amid conflict.

The plight of Palestinian journalists since October 2023 serves as a stark reminder of the perilous intersection between war and press freedom, and it calls for decisive action from international advocates to ensure accountability, uphold journalistic rights, and protect freedom of expression in regions of armed conflict.

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