Al-Araby TV loses contact with journalist detained by Israeli forces during Al-Shifa Hospital raid

Israeli forces detained an Al-Araby TV journalist during their multi-day raids on Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City this week, according to the network.

Al-Araby TV, the sister station of The New Arab, said they lost contact with Mohammed Arab on Monday as he reported on a raid by Israeli forces at the medical facility.

His family later confirmed to the network on Wednesday that Arab was detained by Israeli forces.

In a statement, Al-Araby TV said that the detention of Arab was not an isolated incident but part of a systematic targeting of media workers by Israeli forces in Gaza, including from The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

This includes the detention of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Gaza Bureau chief Diaa Al-Kahlout in north Gaza's Beit Lahia in December, as well as the killing of Al-Araby TV's Gaza corresponded Ahmed Al-Batta's mother, sister, and children in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in January.

Al-Araby TV demanded the immediate release of Arab and said it "holds the Israeli forces fully responsible for the physical safety of our colleague Mohammed Arab and the other colleagues arrested with him".

"We also cannot fail to commend the exceptional courage of colleagues in Palestine who have paid and continue to pay a heavy price to transmit the truth of what is happening on the ground," the broadcaster added.

At least 133 journalists and media workers have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its brutal military offensive on the enclave since 7 October.

For Sanaa Kamal, life in Gaza has been far from “normal”. Gone are her regular routines of having tea on the balcony, her daily work commute, or celebratory moments with family. In videos & voice notes with @alexander_durie, Sanaa's provides a rare insight into daily life in Gaza pic.twitter.com/3h7or1gWA4

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) March 20, 2024

Israel's subsequent war on Gaza, after Hamas's 7 October attacks, has killed at least 31,998 people, with a further 47,188 injured.

Israel began its assault on Al-Shifa on Monday, with a series of raids on the medical facility this week which have been condemned by the World Health Organisation and others.

The Israeli military claimed to have detained some 650 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters, and killed 140, during its raids on Al-Shifa Hospital, a claim Hamas has previously denied.

Israel has repeatedly alleged that medical facilities are being used by Hamas, leading to deadly assaults and bombing by Israeli forces, with little to no proof to back up their claims.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor and the WHO say Israeli forces have detained an unspecified number of doctors and nurses working at Al-Shifa this week, with three patients dying due to the shortages of medical staff.

Euro-Med also reported that 200 Palestinians, including civilians, have been killed in the Israeli raids with many being extrajudicially killed following their arrests.

The New Arab could not independently verify the claims by either party.

Gaza's health authorities said Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza, currently holds approximately 30,000 people, many of whom are displaced civilians from other areas of northern Gaza, but also includes medical staff and patients.