Over 20 Journalists Arrested by Israel on Gaza Flotilla

Reporters Without Borders Condemns Arrest of Journalists on Gaza Aid Flotilla

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned Israel’s arrest of more than 20 foreign journalists on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. The Global Sumud Flotilla sailed last month carrying activists and politicians, including Greta Thunberg. Israeli forces intercepted the vessels between Wednesday and Thursday, preventing them from reaching Gaza. Israel said it arrested over 400 people on board and planned to deport them to Europe.

RSF called the arrests a serious violation of press freedom and the right to inform the public. Martin Roux, head of RSF’s crisis desk, described the detentions as illegal and unjustified. Journalists on the flotilla came from major media outlets, including Spain’s El Pais, Qatar’s Al Jazeera, and Italy’s RAI. Since the arrests began, these media organizations have had no contact with their reporters.

Israel maintained that none of the flotilla vessels breached its naval blockade of Gaza. The Israeli government said it would deport the arrested journalists and activists back to their home countries. Since the war started, Israel has tightly controlled press access to Gaza. Only a few select media outlets can report from the area, and their coverage faces strict military censorship.

RSF reported that more than 210 journalists have died since Israeli military operations began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. That attack killed 1,219 people, according to official Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliation has killed over 66,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures reliable.

The arrest of journalists has drawn international criticism amid growing concerns about press freedom in conflict zones. RSF urged Israel to immediately release the detained media workers. The incident highlights the challenges journalists face while reporting on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Meanwhile, the global community continues to call for safe access for aid and independent reporting.