Journalist For London-Based Newspaper Among Those Stripped And Detained By Israelis In Gaza

Palestinian journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout and members of his family are among those filmed having been stripped and arrested by Israeli authorities in northern Gaza, sparking international outcry.

Al-Kahlout, the chief bureau correspondent for Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, a London-based Arab newspaper based in London, was apprehended in the Al-Souk area of Beit Lahya on Thursday. The news of his arrest, along with an undisclosed number of his relatives, was confirmed by his media outlet.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, one of the few remaining pan-Arab news outlets in northern Gaza, reported losing contact with Al-Kahlout around noon on the day of his arrest. Arrested at gunpoint, following an Israeli raid on a United Nations school being used as a shelter, he was allegedly subjected to beating and stripping by Israeli soldiers, as reported by his news outlet.

Veteran BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen was able to conduct a further investigation, geo-locating the videos and explaining that Al-Kahlout was forced to leave his disabled daughter behind.

Sherif Mansour, regional co-ordinator for Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), demanded the immediate release of the journalist: “We are deeply concerned by reports of the arrest of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout in northern Gaza along with his family members… The Israeli army should disclose his location, release him immediately, and take steps to ensure the safety of all journalists covering this war, especially those in Gaza who face imminent harm.”

Hussam Kanafani, editor-in-chief of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, condemned the incident, accusing Israel of arresting, targeting, and killing journalists to hinder the documentation of crimes.

CPJ has documented multiple arrests since the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7th, including 18 in the West Bank and one in Gaza. The organisation reports that at least 63 journalists and media workers are among the over 17,000 killed since the war’s onset, with the majority in Palestinian territories.

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