40 Palestinian journalists held in Israeli prisons under harsh conditions

Forty Palestinian journalists are currently being held in Israeli prisons under "harsh" conditions, a non-government organization said Wednesday, reported Xinhua.

In a press statement, the Palestinian Prisoners Club, a non-governmental organization, said the number of journalists currently detained reached 40 following the arrest of journalist Mohammed Awad from Ramallah earlier in the day.

The club said five of the detained journalists are women, adding that more than 250 journalists have been arrested or detained by Israeli authorities since Oct. 7, 2023. The figure includes journalists who remain in detention as well as those who have been released.

According to the statement, more than 260 journalists have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023, including two who died in prison, while the fate of two others remains unknown.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli side on the claims.