Gaza journalist group says Hamas holding 7 reporters covering economic protests

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate says that the Hamas security forces are holding seven journalists covering the growing economic protests in the Strip.

A source in the Journalists Syndicate tells The Times of Israel the security forces arrested the journalists for covering protests against the high cost of living in Gaza.

He says that Hamas has promised the group that the reporters will be released in the coming hours.

The group says that 17 reporters have been arrested since the protests began on Thursday. It also says it has documented Hamas security forces beating journalists, confiscating their cellphones and other equipment.

It also accuses the security forces of beating Osama al-Kahlout, one of the journalists who it said has been in custody for four days.

— Adam Rasgon