During the month of January, three photographers were killed by Israeli drone strikes in the Gaza Strip and one journalist in Lebanon. Other Israeli violations targeted 37 media professionals in the West Bank and the 1948 Territories. Eight reporters were injured by Israeli air force shelling in Lebanon, where summonses, prosecutions, and investigations also increased. Physical assaults rose again in Syria, while detentions resurged in Jordan.

Below is a detailed summary of the violations monitored by the Samir Kassir Foundation’s SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom across the four countries.

In Lebanon, journalist Ali Noureddine was killed after an Israeli drone targeted his car in the city of Tyre (01/26). Sputnik reporter Abdul-Qader Al-Bay, Al-Afdal TV and Al-Afdal News correspondent Mohammad Zanati, MTV correspondent Ali Hanqir, Al-Manar correspondent Amin Shoumar, Agence France-Presse photographer Mahmud Zayyat, Al-Mayadeen correspondent Jamal Gharabi, freelance photographer Ali Hashisheh, and Nidaa Al-Watan correspondent Mohammad Dahsheh were all injured while covering Israeli air force strikes on the southern town of Qanaarit (01/21).

The General Security questioned the Karama Beirut Festival director, filmmaker Haitham Shamas, after he dialled a Palestinian phone number associated with festival participants (01/19). The Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar, questioned Nidaa Al-Watan journalist and writer Samer Zreik following a complaint filed by former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora over a tweet and a news report (01/29). The Criminal Investigation Department summoned journalist Hassan Olleik over a video in which he criticised President Joseph Aoun; Olleik declined to appear and said he would only testify before the Publications Court (01/22). Judge Al-Hajjar issued a search and investigation notice against journalist Ali Berro for failing to appear before the Public Prosecutor’s Office for questioning on the same matter (01/26).

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army continued targeting journalists despite the ceasefire. Agence France-Presse photographer Abdul-Rauf Shaath and Egyptian committee photographers Mohammad Qashta and Anas Ghuneim were killed when an Israeli drone fired two missiles at their car in central Gaza (01/21).

In the West Bank, Israeli forces targeted several Palestinian journalists and photographers with teargas and stun grenades: Al Jazeera correspondents Laith Jaar (01/11) and Tharwat Shaqra (01/26), along with their colleague photographer Hatem Hamdan (01/11); Al-Hayat Al-Jadida photographer Issam Al-Rimawi and Quds Network correspondent Motasem Saqf Al-Heit (01/26); and Al-Araby TV correspondent Amid Shehadeh and photographer Rabih Munayer (01/27). They also beat correspondent Motasem Saqf Al-Heit, Al-Irsal Network correspondent Karim Khmeiseh, and freelance photographer Mohammad Awad (01/06), as well as local Karama Radio correspondent Salman Abu Aram and photographer Areen Abu Aram (01/28).

Furthermore, Israeli forces arrested freelance journalists Salim Al-Salman (01/01), Inas Khalawi (01/05), and Mohammad Sabah (01/12); Palestine Post journalist Yasser Jaradat, who was released hours later (01/11); Palestine TV correspondent Ali Dar Ali (01/20); and novelist Walid Al-Hudali, whose detention was extended for two weeks by the Ofer military court (01/21). They also prevented Al-Ghad TV correspondent Raed Al-Sharif, Reuters photographer Ma’mun Wazuz, European Press Agency photographer Hazem Bader, Radio Al-Rabiaa photographer Taha Abu Hussein, Al-Hadath newspaper correspondent Mosab Shawer, as well as Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammad Al-Atrash and his colleague photographer Louay Al-Saeed (01/20), from covering events. They besieged freelance journalist Sidqi Rayyan and Asdaa website director Amin Abu Warda inside a house for more than two hours (01/11) and hampered the work of freelance journalist Luay Amr and Anadolu Agency photographer Sari Jaradat (01/11), while a settler assaulted photographer Wahaj Bani Mufleh and attempted to steal his camera (01/09).

The Salem military court extended the detention of Al-Quds newspaper correspondent Ali Al-Sammudi for four months for the third consecutive time (01/04), while the Ofer court decided to place writer and researcher Sari Orabi under administrative detention for a period of four months (01/05).

In the 1948 Territories, Israeli police officers beat Anadolu Agency correspondent Samir Abdul-Hadi and Al-Nas Radio correspondent Diaa Haj Yahya during field coverage (01/23). Israeli authorities banned the screening of the film “Jenin Jenin” by late Palestinian director Mohammad Bakri (01/02), as well as “Bas Yawmein” and “Be-Tawqit Dimashq” by director Murad Sghayer in the Upper Galilee (01/19). Police also raided the Yabous Cultural Centre in Jerusalem and prevented the screening of the film “Palestine 36” by Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir (01/22).

In Syria, the Hijri-led National Guard abducted Syrian journalist and poet Marhaf Al-Shaer after he was shot five times in Al-Fursan Square in Suwayda, then released him the same day; subsequent reports indicated that he had been at risk of extrajudicial killing while in detention, but urgent intervention prevented it (01/06). In Aleppo, Ismail Al-Kurdi and Diab Al-Omari of the Aleppo Media Directorate were injured when SDF shelling hit residential neighbourhoods in the city (01/08). Military police arrested journalist Adnan Al-Imam, who was covering clashes in the city, under the pretext of filming military convoys; he was released the next day (01/10).

In Jordan, security forces detained writer and novelist Ayman Al-Atoum on his way back from Irbid and released him the following day, stating only that the detention was linked to an alleged violation of the Cybercrime Law (01/09). Authorities also detained journalist Amjad Al-Sunaid in Madaba as he was heading to a planned anti-corruption protest in Dhiban; he was later released on bail (01/16). MP Hussein Al-Amoush verbally insulted Fares Khalifa, a photographer for Saraya News, during a parliamentary session while he was photographing documents under discussion and prevented him from continuing to take pictures (01/28).