Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Denounces Hamas’ Arrest, Assault of Colleague

Palestinians shop in a market before the holy month of Ramadan in Gaza City, 22 March 2023. (EPA)
Palestinians shop in a market before the holy month of Ramadan in Gaza City, 22 March 2023. (EPA)
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Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Denounces Hamas’ Arrest, Assault of Colleague

Palestinians shop in a market before the holy month of Ramadan in Gaza City, 22 March 2023. (EPA)
Palestinians shop in a market before the holy month of Ramadan in Gaza City, 22 March 2023. (EPA)

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate strongly condemned the arrest and assault of Hani Abu Rizk, a correspondent of Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda newspaper, by Hamas police during his filming of people marking the advent of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Al-Saraya Square in Gaza City.

In a statement, the Syndicate voiced deep concern over the incident.

It said police were aware that Abu Rizk was a journalist when they assaulted him. It held the police fully responsible for the “brutal attack” that violates freedom of journalistic work, demanding an apology.

Abu Rizk is a journalist who covers humanitarian stories and the sufferings of people in the Gaza Strip. He covered a story about how Hamas movement police had demolished the house of a Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip.

Abu Al-Saeed Al-Masry, a cancer patient, was living in a residential complex with his brothers. A local businessman bought the complex, but Al-Masry refused to sell his home because of his medical condition.

A Hamas court ruled in favor of the businessman and ordered the immediate evacuation of the home and that compensation be paid to the owner, who still refused to sell.

The police ultimately carried out the court order and demolished the home, forcibly evicting the owners.

Abu Rizk was attacked for covering the story. He was summoned by Hamas police and arrested.

The Syndicate expressed its rejection of the assault and arrest, saying it will take all necessary action to avert similar acts from happening again.

It called on rights groups to condemn the attack and pressure Hamas to ensure that it would not commit them again.



Netanyahu Offers Hamas Leaders Gaza Exit but Demands Group Disarm

A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
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Netanyahu Offers Hamas Leaders Gaza Exit but Demands Group Disarm

A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday offered to let Hamas leaders leave Gaza but demanded the group abandon its arms, as his country kept up its bombardment of the Palestinian territory.

Gaza's civil defense agency said an Israeli air strike on a house and tent sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least eight people, including five children.

The strike in Khan Yunis came in the morning on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Israel resumed intense bombing of the Palestinian territory on March 18 and then launched a new ground offensive, ending a nearly two-month ceasefire in the war with Hamas.

Netanyahu rejected criticism that his government was not engaging in negotiations aimed at releasing hostages held in Gaza, insisting the renewed military pressure on Hamas was proving effective.

"We are negotiating under fire... We can see cracks beginning to appear" in Hamas's positions, the Israeli leader told a cabinet meeting.

In the "final stage", Netanyahu said that "Hamas will lay down its weapons. Its leaders will be allowed to leave".

"The military pressure is working," Reuters quoted him as saying.

"The combination of military pressure and diplomatic pressure is the only thing that has brought the hostages back."

Hamas has expressed a willingness to relinquish Gaza's administration, but has warned its weapons are a "red line".

Egypt, Qatar and the United States are attempting to again broker a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

A senior Hamas official stated on Saturday that the group had approved a new ceasefire proposal put forward by mediators and urged Israel to support it.

Netanyahu's office confirmed receipt of the proposal and stated that Israel had submitted a counterproposal in response.

However, the details of the latest mediation efforts remain undisclosed.