Press freedom group demands ‘immediate’ release of journalist Kahlout detained by Israel

By Idiris Okuduci

BEIRUT (AA) - The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for the immediate release of Palestinian journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout, who was detained by Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the CPJ said that it is “alarmed by reports that Israeli authorities arrested Alaraby Aljadeed journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout in Gaza along with members of his family, and calls for his immediate release.”

Kahlout along with an unknown number of his family members were arrested Thursday in the Al-Souk area of Beit Lahya, northern Gaza.

Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said: “We are deeply concerned by reports of the arrest of journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout in northern Gaza along with his family members.”

“The Israeli army should disclose his location and release him immediately,” he added.

Kahlout was forced to leave his disabled daughter behind. He was also forced at gunpoint to strip and then was beaten, Alaraby Aljadeed reported.

Alaraby Aljadeed Editor Husam Kanafani stated that Israel deliberately kills, targets, or arrests journalists to prevent their crimes from being documented.

More than 75 journalists have been killed and 140 wounded in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7.

Israel resumed its military offensive against the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group, Hamas.

At least 17,177 Palestinians have been killed and more than 46,000 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara