The Palestinian Authority (PA) has reportedly arrested Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Al-Atrash for his coverage of the ongoing Israeli raid in Jenin, located in the northern occupied West Bank. According to Al Jazeera, Al-Atrash was detained from his home in Hebron and taken to the Public Prosecution Office after he was prevented from reporting on the Israeli military’s brutal operations in the city. Al Jazeera criticized the arrest as a deliberate attempt to stifle media coverage of the aggression in Jenin, which has seen at least 12 Palestinians killed and 40 others injured during the three-day onslaught.

The Israeli forces have reportedly destroyed vital infrastructure, including the main street leading to Jenin Governmental Hospital, severely restricting access for the injured. Hospitals like Al-Razi and Ibn Sina are under siege, making medical assistance almost impossible. Al Jazeera and international organizations have condemned the PA’s move, calling for Al-Atrash’s immediate release. The journalist’s defense team stated that the charges lack legal basis and appear to target his affiliation with the banned Al Jazeera network rather than any genuine misconduct.

This arrest comes amid heightened tensions following the Palestinian Ministerial Committee’s January 1 suspension of Al Jazeera’s broadcast operations in Palestine, a decision widely criticized by global watchdogs and rights organizations. The network views these actions as part of a broader strategy to suppress coverage of Israeli military activities in the occupied territories. Al Jazeera has called on the PA to stop targeting journalists, emphasizing that such measures align with the Israeli occupation’s suppression of press freedom.