Palestinian journalist reveals 'threat' from Israel early in Gaza war

A Palestinian journalist has opened up for the first time about a threat he said he had received in the first week of Israel's war on Gaza.

Hossam Shabat said on Wednesday that he received the threat while in Beit Hanoun, a city in the enclave's north, on the sixth day of Israel's assault. He was documenting the bombing of homes and massacres, and staying in a hospital.

He added on social media platform X that an officer from Israeli intelligence called him, telling him to delete posts on his Facebook account.

These were "posts from 7 October, calls for citizens to resist, and invitations to citizens to remain", according to Shabat.

The journalist said he was told he and those with him had to leave or his home would be bombed, but he refused to go.

"However, after the complete bombing of the house and an attempt to tighten the siege on us in the hospital, I went out under fire," Shabat said.

"But despite all these threats and the complete bombing of my house, I am still continuing to provide coverage.

"Death is pursues us everywhere," Shabat added, saying an aircraft had opened fire on him on Tuesday soon after he entered Beit Hanoun.

Israel's indiscriminate war on Gaza has proven deadly for journalists, with the number killed so far in the strip having reached 105, according to the enclave's government media office.

More than 21,300 people have been killed there overall.

Diaa al-Kahlout, Gaza bureau chief for The New Arab's Arabic-language edition al-Araby al-Jadeed, was detained by Israeli forces earlier in December.

"We in the al-Araby al-Jadeed family demand the immediate release of our colleague," his employer said on social media on Tuesday.