ISRAELI FORCES ARREST AND RELEASE AL JAZEERA JOURNALIST IN WEST BANK RAID

Israeli forces arrested Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Montaser Nassar during a raid on his home in Dura, near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, early on Tuesday, while he was reporting on the raid from inside his house. Video footage showed him blindfolded and handcuffed as soldiers led him into a military vehicle at around 2.30am local time. Al Jazeera's Mohamad Atrash, reporting from Hebron, said soldiers "assaulted his wife" before confiscating Nassar's phone. Accounts of how many people were detained vary, with figures ranging from more than 13 to at least 20, including former prisoners and a Fatah official, Al Jazeera said. Israeli forces released Nassar and the other detainees several hours later as troops withdrew from Dura.

Atrased detainees were taken to an army camp near the Fawwar refugee camp, where they were "handcuffed behind their backs, blindfolded and assaulted". He said they were assaulted again on arrival and forced into "tiring and exhausting positions". Officers from Israel's internal security service, Shin Bet, arrived and threatened the detainees, Atrash said. Atrash said he spoke to Nassar after his release.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate recorded 84 alleged violations against journalists by Israeli forces and settlers in August alone, including arrests and a death in custody, according to Al Jazeera. The arrest follows a raid on Al-Ghad TV's office in Hebron and comes after Israeli forces closed Al Jazeera's Ramallah bureau in September 2024. Al Jazeera said Nassar and his cameraman were previously assaulted by Israeli forces in Dura in December 2023, an incident that left both with bruises. Al Jazeera said the arrest reflects increasing pressure on Palestinian journalists in the West Bank.