Newsroom / CNA
A series of videos aired by Israeli television networks, depicting numerous Palestinian detainees clad only in underwear and blindfolded, has ignited a social media storm of criticism.
Among those apprehended was Dia al-Kahlut, a correspondent for the Arabic service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed of The New Arab network, identified by colleagues and relatives in the footage.
The London-based news site, in a post on Platform X (formerly Twitter), reported that "dozens of Gazans, including The New Arab correspondent," were arrested by the Israeli occupation army in the Palestinian enclave.
Israeli media reporting arrests of suspected Hamas and Islamic Jihad members in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/kHYCPYNaGq
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) December 7, 2023
According to an English-language report by The New Arab, al-Kahlut is one of many journalists "captured by the Israeli army in Gaza and forced to strip." Eyewitnesses revealed they underwent physical checks and humiliation before being transported to an undisclosed location.
Rami Abdou, president of the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland, identified the journalist, a school principal, and a UN official in a Platform X post.
Videos and photos circulated on Israeli TV and social media depict men squatting, heads bowed, dressed only in underwear.
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) December 7, 2023
When questioned, Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari stated last night that the area faced activities where "terrorists are going in and out of tunnels and houses." He mentioned an ongoing investigation to discern connections to Hamas. Hagari asserted that Israeli soldiers were targeting "terrorists hiding in tunnels."
Analysts from the French News Agency (AFP) suggest the video was likely shot in the Beit Lahia area of the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli newspaper Maariv previously reported that the captives were Hamas fighters apprehended by Israeli soldiers in Gaza City.
