Over the weekend, CNN reported that the IDF detained Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi for around a year without having ever questioned him about the charges against him.
CNN broadcast a video of an interview with al-Samoudi after his unconditional release in which the Palestinian reporter made the charges.
During the war, it was not uncommon for the IDF to accuse some Palestinian reporters of having connections to terror groups.
In some cases, the IDF has targeted and killed these alleged dual reporters/terrorists if they were determined to be sufficiently dangerous. In other cases, the IDF simply arrested them.
Many of these suspects were placed in administrative detention, where they do not receive a standard criminal trial.
In addition, administrative detainees are typically released within six months to one to two years.
In al-Samoudi’s case, CNN said that the IDF initially claimed he was connected to Islamic Jihad.
Al-Samoudi: I was never questioned on charges
However, al-Samoudi said he was never questioned about these charges.
The last part is, notably, unusual.
Many Palestinians say that they were improperly treated while detained by Israel and deny charges brought against them in administrative detention court hearings, which may occur every few months. The claim of not being interrogated at all is rare.
Following the CNN report, the IDF was repeatedly questioned about the details of the case, and has not clarified the situation by press time.
The CNN report said that al-Samoudi is one of 105 Palestinian journalists who have been detained and imprisoned since October 7, 2023, the majority of whom are held without charge, said the Committee to Protect Journalists.
If accurate, this would give Israel the dubious honor of being the third-worst jailer of journalists in 2025, behind only China and Myanmar, according to CPJ.
Thirty-three Palestinian journalists are still imprisoned in Israel, the organization said, according to CNN.
The IDF had not responded by press time to either of these accusations.
Al-Samoudi also made many claims of mistreatment by the Israel Prisons Service, which are more typical and which the IPS had not responded to in the report.