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‘It was a real hell’: Palestinian journalist on his year in Israeli prison
🇪🇬 Egypt /Crime & Justice

‘It was a real hell’: Palestinian journalist on his year in Israeli prison

From Egypt Independent · (3h ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi was released after a year in Israeli prison under administrative detention without charge.
  • He described his experience as "hell," enduring physical and psychological abuse and severe weight loss due to inadequate food.
  • Al-Samoudi is one of 105 Palestinian journalists detained since Oct. 7, with 33 still imprisoned, making Israel a major jailer of journalists.

The ordeal of Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi, who spent a year in Israeli detention without charge, paints a grim picture of the conditions faced by media professionals in the region. Released last week, the 59-year-old recounted his experience as "real hell," detailing the physical and psychological torment that left him emaciated, having lost half his body weight. His account, shared from his home in Jenin, West Bank, underscores the harsh realities of administrative detention, a practice that allows for indefinite imprisonment without trial.

It was a real hell. Prison today is hell in every sense of the word.

— Ali al-SamoudiDescribing his experience in Israeli prison.

Al-Samoudi's case is not isolated. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), he is among 105 Palestinian journalists detained since October 7, 2023, with the majority also held without charge. This alarming number has positioned Israel as the third-worst jailer of journalists globally for 2025, surpassed only by China and Myanmar, with 33 Palestinian journalists still incarcerated. The CPJ's findings highlight a systemic issue of press freedom suppression in the Palestinian territories.

Everything they practiced with us was punishment and revenge.

— Ali al-SamoudiDetailing the nature of his treatment in prison.

Having previously worked with international outlets like CNN and having been present during the fatal shooting of Shireen Abu Akleh, al-Samoudi's decades of experience did not shield him from the alleged abuse within Israeli prisons. His description of the meager rations—barely enough to sustain life—and the overall punitive environment raises serious questions about the treatment of detainees. While Israel's Prison Service did not respond to requests for comment, the stark contrast between the journalist's physical state upon release and his prior condition speaks volumes about his year-long ordeal. This story resonates deeply within Palestinian communities, highlighting the personal cost of conflict and the silencing of voices through detention.

They basically gave us food only to keep us alive.

— Ali al-SamoudiDescribing the inadequate food rations provided in prison.
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Originally published by Egypt Independent. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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