BBC journalists covering the attack on Israel encountered a distressing situation when they were stopped by police in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv; they were assaulted and held at gunpoint.
Muhannad Tutunji, Haitham Abudiab, and their BBC Arabic team were en route to a hotel when their vehicle, clearly marked with “TV” in red tape, was intercepted. The police forcibly removed them from the car, subjected them to a search, and pinned them against a wall.
A BBC spokesperson emphasized the importance of journalists being able to report on the Israel-Gaza conflict without hindrance.
Mr. Tutunji and Mr. Abudiab attempted to clarify their identity as BBC journalists by presenting their press ID cards to the police. In the midst of trying to film the incident, Mr. Tutunji’s phone was forcibly thrown to the ground, and he was physically struck in the neck.
The BBC has reached out to Israeli police for their response to the incident.
Over the weekend, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a significant attack on Israel, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 1,300 lives. In retaliation, Israel conducted airstrikes, leading to the death of more than 1,400 individuals in Gaza. There are expectations of a ground offensive as well.
Israel has issued an evacuation order for those in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, involving approximately 1.1 million people, instructing them to relocate to the southern territory within a 24-hour timeframe.
The United Nations has called on Israel to rescind this order, warning of potentially “devastating humanitarian consequences.”
In response, Hamas, which holds authority in the Gaza Strip, has advised civilians to disregard the evacuation directive, dismissing it as “false propaganda.”
