The Iranian television channel Press TV reported this Tuesday the arrest of Palestinian journalist Naqa Hamed, correspondent in the West Bank for this media outlet, at the hands of Israeli security forces at a military checkpoint near the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
According to the channel, Hamed was traveling with at least two camera operators when they were intercepted at a checkpoint located near Tuqu, southeast of Bethlehem. After confiscating the recording material, the Israeli military released "the camera operators," but kept the reporter in custody.
The television, which has described the incident as "kidnapping," claims that Hamed has been the target of "a smear campaign by Zionist accounts (on social media) in the last month," while, so far, Israeli authorities have not officially confirmed the arrest nor provided any version of what happened.
In its statement, Press TV asserts that "the campaign has been part of a specific effort to exert psychological and media pressure, restrict the available space for journalists and media outlets, and prevent Press TV's information about Israeli crimes from reaching audiences around the world."
As part of her journalistic work for the channel, Hamed has closely followed the escalation of attacks by settlers and Israeli forces against the Qalandia refugee camp, the scene of raids and assaults in early August. The television recalls that "on August 6, Israeli forces attacked several journalists, including Hamed, while they were covering a raid in Qalandia. The journalists were wearing press vests and helmets, and were clearly identified (...) when the Israeli forces launched a stun grenade and tear gas at them," referring to a previous episode of violence against reporters in the area.