On July 20, 2024, Israeli forces raided the home of Palestinian freelancer Hamza Jaber, camera operator for Arab American University Station, in Jaba’ village, near Jenin, West Bank. Hamza’s brother, Yousef, was arrested to pressure the journalist to turn himself in, the two men told CPJ after their release.
Yousef Jaber told CPJ that Israeli forces attacked his family, damaged their home and furniture, and two cars, and confiscated all their computers, including those belonging to his mother and brother. He provided photos of the damage caused by Israeli officers.
Later that day, Jaber surrendered at Dotan checkpoint, and Yousef was released.
After 22 months in administrative detention, Jaber was released without charge on May 14, 2026.
Jaber told CPJ that he was held in multiple detention facilities, including Howara detention center near Nablus, in the West Bank; Megiddo prison north of the West Bank; Offer detention center near Ramallah; and Ktzi’ot prison in southern Israel’s Negev desert.
His detention order was renewed four times, with each renewal lasting approximately six months, he said.
Jaber also told CPJ he was starved during his time in detention, going from 85 kilograms (187 pounds) to 68 kilograms (150 pounds).
CPJ emailed the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for comment on Jaber’s arrest. When asked about Jaber’s ID number, information that CPJ does and will not collect, they said the IDF does “not intentionally harm journalists or their family members,” and operates in “accordance with international law … to mitigate harm to civilians, including journalists.”