MIDDLE EASTERN NEWS organisation Al Jazeera has demanded the release of one of its journalists, who the organisation claims was beaten and arrested by Israeli forces while reporting on a raid today at Gaza’s largest hospital. 

In a statement this afternoon, Al Jazeera said its correspondent Ismail Alghoul was arrested alongside other journalists while reporting on the Israeli army’s raid of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza city.

The news organisation claims that following Alghoul’s arrest, his broadcast vehicle along with cameras and equipment were destroyed.

Al Jazeera demands Israel immediately release its correspondent, Ismail al-Ghoul. pic.twitter.com/UpD7tC8Oqd

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 18, 2024

The statement read: “Al Jazeera Media Network demands the immediate release of its correspondent and the other journalists who were detained alongside him, and holds the occupation forces fully responsible for their safety.”

It continued: “According to eyewitnesses, Ismail was severely beaten and taken to an unknown location.”

Al Jazeera said the targeting of Alghoul was part of a systemic attack on the news organisation by Israel. 

It said this included the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh, Samer Abu daqqa, and Hamza al-Dahdouh, the bombing of Al Jazeera’s office in Gaza, the deliberate targeting of a number of its journalists and their family members, and the arrest and intimidation of its crews. 

The statement called for an immediate halt to these attacks. 

An Al Jazeera source, who was not authorised to brief the press and spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that five other people were arrested including Alghoul’s camera crew and engineers.

At least 95 journalists and media workers had been confirmed dead in the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Contains reporting from AFP.