By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Journalist Jarrah Khalaf’s ordeal highlights the escalating violations in Jenin camp under the PA’s ongoing crackdown.

Journalist Jarrah Khalaf has endured severe torture during his detention by Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, his family and legal representatives revealed. 

Khalaf was abducted four days ago from a public vehicle at a PA security checkpoint near Jenin refugee camp. Reports cited by Quds News Network indicate he has been beaten by at least ten officers and subjected to stress positions and hanging for three consecutive days.  

The Lawyers for Justice group confirmed Khalaf’s detention is linked to his coverage of events in Jenin, accusing the PA of torturing him inside their prisons. Despite appeals for his release, the Public Prosecution in Jenin has denied the requests and extended his detention for an additional 48 hours.  

In a statement, Khalaf’s family expressed their anguish, saying: “We have tried to learn about his condition and location of detention, but no clear answers have been given.”

The group also appealed “to authorities and international human rights institutions to investigate this case urgently.”

Lawyers for Justice (Occupied West Bank):

○ Journalist Jarrah Khalaf is being tortured inside the prisons of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) security services due to his filming of the events in Jenin.

○ He is currently being investigated for filming the press conferences… pic.twitter.com/c8HzBDNjND

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) January 12, 2025

Jenin under Siege

Meanwhile, the Jenin Camp Media Committee reported that the PA has been besieging the camp for 39 consecutive days, restricting civilian movement and turning residential homes into military outposts. 

Local sources confirmed on Sunday that two Palestinians, including a child, were injured during clashes between Palestinian resistance fighters. The violent clashes also led to a fire breaking out in one of the camp’s houses, Al-Jazeera reported.

According to the committee, the PA forces targeted homes with shells, resulting in significant destruction and civilian injuries.

In an urgent appeal, the committee called on the local community and human rights organizations to intervene to halt the ongoing violations.

BREAKING | Extremely fierce clashes taking place between local resistance fighters and invading Palestinian Authority (PA) forces in Jenin Camp, occupied West Bank.

Sources report the most violent clashes since the start of the PA's siege and assault 39 days ago. pic.twitter.com/MastNP5eHQ

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) January 12, 2025

Palestinian Authority Campaign

Since last month, PA security forces have been conducting a military operation in Jenin camp, citing the need to pursue what they refer to as “outlaws.” 

However, Palestinian factions, including Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and Islamic Jihad, have accused the PA of targeting resistance fighters rather than addressing broader security concerns.

The clashes have so far resulted in the deaths of six PA security personnel and eight civilians, including a key leader of the Jenin Battalion.

Camp residents have accused PA forces of exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in Jenin. 

According to reports, the PA instructed fuel stations in the area to withhold supplies from the camp. Residents also claim that PA personnel deliberately shot at the camp’s main electrical transformers, causing severe outages.

Jenin Camp Under Siege – PA Forces Target Civilians, Prevent Food, Medicine

The situation has been further compounded by the PA’s prevention of waste disposal trucks from entering the camp. Streets, already scarred by past Israeli incursions, are now clogged with piles of garbage, raising fears of a looming public health crisis.

As tensions escalate, the people of Jenin camp are urging immediate intervention from human rights organizations and international observers to address the growing humanitarian crisis and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.

For the residents of Jenin camp, the siege represents not only a physical restriction but also an alarming threat to their safety, dignity, and basic rights.

(PC, AJA, QNN)