The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday detained a Palestinian journalist who worked for news outlets including AFP, his family and witnesses said, in the latest arrest of a reporter in the West Bank.

Mohammed Awad, 38, was taken away from his home near Ramallah at 6 a.m., his wife Iman Shalash said.

The Israeli soldiers “blindfolded him, handcuffed him and took him” to a military vehicle, said Shalash.

The military, contacted by AFP multiple times on the reasons for Awad’s detention, did not immediately comment. Awad was not reachable.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, a non-governmental group that advocates for detained Palestinians, said that Awad’s detainment brought to 40 the number of Palestinian journalists held by Israel.

The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate called Awad’s arrest “an extension of the occupation’s systematic policy of targeting Palestinian journalists.”

İsrail askerleri, Batı Şeria'da bir eve düzenlenen baskında Filistinli gazeteci ve Drop Site yazarı 38 yaşındaki Mohamed Awad'ı gözaltına aldı. pic.twitter.com/Y8eh77vTzR — Conflict (@ConflictTR)........

© The Times of Israel