Al Jazeera has announced Israel’s release of their freelance correspondent who was detained during its raid on Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital. The journalist was detained and beaten by Israeli forces during their raid on the hospital.
Correspondent Ismail Alghoul was detained along with other journalists early today when he was covering the raid on Al-Shifa Hospital, the network said. It added that Israeli troops beat him and destroyed the network’s broadcast vehicle as well as cameras and equipment.
Later, the Qatari-owned network stated that Alghoul had been released. It quoted him as saying that he and other reporters were handcuffed, blindfolded and stripped for 12 hours.
The Israeli army said it was battling Hamas militants at the Al-Shifa Hospital. Witnesses reported airstrikes and tanks near the facility, which was crowded with patients and displaced people.
“Al Jazeera Media Network demands the immediate release of its correspondent and the other journalists who were detained alongside him, and holds the occupation forces fully responsible for their safety,” Al Jazeera channel said in a statement to AFP.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
An Al Jazeera source, who was not authorized to brief the press and spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that five other people were arrested including Alghoul’s camera crew and engineers.
The United States, Israel’s close ally, said it was aware of the incident and had asked the Israeli government for more information.
Last month the network accused Israel of systematically targeting Al Jazeera employees working in Gaza.
As of Monday, at least 95 journalists and media workers had been confirmed dead in the Israel-Hamas war according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), citing “preliminary investigations.”
Of those, 90 were Palestinians, CPJ said.
Two Al Jazeera journalists have been killed during Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, while bureau chief Wael al-Dahdouh was wounded.
“The network emphasizes that this targeting serves as an intimidation tactic against journalists to deter them from reporting the horrific crimes committed by the occupation forces against innocent civilians in Gaza,” the channel said.
