Dozens of Palestinian journalists jailed by Israel since October 2023 have reported severe abuse, including torture, sexual assault, starvation, and threats against family members, according to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released Thursday.
The report is based on interviews with 59 Palestinian journalists, nearly all of whom reported experiencing “torture, abuse or other forms of violence” while in Israeli detention. The abuses included baton beatings, electrocution, extreme stress positions, sexual assault, sleep deprivation, and medical neglect, CPJ said. Two journalists reported being raped.
Journalist Sami al-Sai described being stripped and assaulted with objects in a small cell at Megiddo Prison, leaving him in “severe psychological distress.” Another journalist, Amin Baraka, reported threats from soldiers targeting his family because of his reporting.
Most journalists were held under administrative detention, without charges, and many were denied access to lawyers. CPJ documented extreme malnutrition, with detainees losing an average of 23.5 kilograms (54 pounds) and surviving on moldy or rotten food.
“These are not isolated incidents,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “They expose a deliberate strategy to intimidate and silence journalists, and destroy their ability to bear witness.” CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg called for international accountability and adherence to humanitarian law.
Israeli authorities have faced longstanding allegations of mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners, particularly at facilities such as Sde Teiman, where past reports included torture and sexual assault. Since the outbreak of Israel’s war in Gaza in 2023, nearly 300 journalists and media workers have been killed in attacks, including the August 2025 strike on a hospital that killed five journalists.