Hundreds of Social Media Accounts Blocked of Palestinian Journalists

Following the fight between Israel and Palestine, it has been reported that WhatsApp blocked hundreds of Accounts of Palestinian Journalists.

Right after the ceasefire was announced among the two countries, two journalists from AFP reported to have received messages from WhatsApp stating that their accounts have been blocked. While journalists from Jerusalem and West Bank reported the same issue.

On complaining, Journalists of channel Al Jazeera said that there accounts were restored shortly after.

The vice president of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Tahseen al-Astall, reported that around 100 journalists in Gaza had seen their accounts blocked.

The Arab Center for the Development of Social Media said the blocking of WhatsApp accounts was not an isolated incident.

According to a new report from Israel’s city Haifa, Palestinian Journalists Digital rights were violated from May 6 to May 19.

The report said that the Content was removed, reduced and restricted from not only Whatsapp but also from Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok while the accounts were deleted.

No Explanation was given for this act, but the reasons presented included hate speech, violation of community standards, requesting proof of identity.

Palestinians have been using social media platforms to raise their voice against the violence they faced as the traditional media failed to capture and present the reality.