Gaza journalist faces Hamas threats and censorship - report
Gaza journalist Tawfiq Abu Jarad was threatened by Hamas. CPJ reports widespread intimidation and self-censorship among Gaza reporters.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: MAY 17, 2025 11:55A Palestinian Hamas terrorist displays guns on the day of the handover of hostages, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, February 22, 2025.(photo credit: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)
Tawfiq Abu Jarad, a 44-year-old correspondent for Ramallah’s Sawt al-Hurriya radio, received a threatening call from a Hamas terrorist warning him not to report on a women-led protest in Beit Lahia late last month, according to a Thursday report from the non-profit Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Hamas reportedly warned the Gaza journalist about his wife’s potential involvement in the demonstration: "They even told me that I would be responsible if my wife participated," Jarad told the CPJ, which provides journalists worldwide with safety information and emergency support.
Abu Jarad said this was not the first time he was targeted. In November 2023, he was reportedly detained in Rafah by masked men who identified themselves as Hamas members. They accused him of reporting on unrest and released him only after securing a promise to stop covering such events, the committee wrote.
Hamas officials reportedly denied any wrongdoing, saying no complaints have been received and that the media operates freely in Gaza.
The CPJ notes that Hamas violations are often omitted due to safety concerns and lack of access, and that Gaza journalists have announced a persistent pattern of repression, resulting in widespread self-censorship and limited independent coverage from within the enclave.
Palestinians attend a rally calling for an end to the war, in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 25, 2025. (credit: AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)
Multiple cases of violence against journalists in Gaza
Other journalists, speaking anonymously to international media, have reported similar experiences of being followed or warned not to cover anti-Hamas protests. They expressed fears of being labeled as collaborators with Israel, which could have serious consequences, the CPJ wrote.
After demonstrations in March 2025, a joint statement from terror groups in Gaza, including Hamas, accused protestors of working with Israel, it noted. Some Israeli and international media outlets reported that Hamas responded with violence, including dispersing protests and allegedly executing demonstrators.
Images from the protests included signs such as “Hamas does not represent us,” indicating clear public criticism. CPJ states that these expressions of dissent are rare and often suppressed quickly.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS) has documented multiple cases of violence against journalists in Gaza, including an incident where photographer Ibrahim Muhareb was reportedly beaten unconscious near Nasser Hospital.
Witnesses said attackers claimed journalists were equivalent to spies, per CPJ.
PJS leaders say intimidation by Hamas is widespread but underreported. Journalists frequently face interrogations, censorship, surveillance, and arbitrary detentions. Fear of retaliation keeps many from speaking out or filing formal complaints, the CPJ revealed.
