An worldwide media association has condemned what it described as a “violent assault” by Israeli soldiers who detained a NCS crew within the occupied West Bank this week.
A NCS group was reporting on the aftermath of an assault by Israeli settlers and the institution of an unlawful outpost close to the Palestinian village of Tayasir on Thursday when it was detained by Israeli soldiers, the Foreign Press Association mentioned on Saturday.
“The soldiers aggressively targeted the crew and Palestinian civilians present, pointing their rifles at them,” the FPA mentioned, even after the journalists recognized themselves.
“The soldiers repeatedly tried to infringe the NCS crew’s right to film, ordering the crew to stop filming and threatening to confiscate the camera.
“Later, an IDF soldier approached NCS’s photojournalist from behind, placed him in a chokehold, slammed him to the ground, and damaged his camera,” mentioned the association, which represents tons of of journalists in Israel and Palestine.
NCS confirmed the main points in its personal report on the incident, figuring out the photojournalist as Cyril Theophilos.
The FPA, which known as for an investigation into the incident, mentioned: “This was not a misunderstanding … It was a violent assault on clearly identified journalists and a direct attack on press freedom.
“The use of force was excessive and dangerous. Pointing rifles at journalists and civilians, physically assaulting a cameraman, and detaining a crew are actions that cross every line.
“Such behaviour reflects a deeply alarming pattern of hostility toward the media and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.”
The army mentioned the incident could be seemed into.
A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, wrote on X: “The soldiers’ conduct and statements in this incident do not represent the IDF, go against what is expected of IDF soldiers and will be investigated.”
He added: “I apologised privately, and I will say it again – this shouldn’t have happened. Our job is to maintain law and order, among that is allowing for freedom of the press.”
The incident is the second such occasion involving NCS this month.
Days in the past, through the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, a NCS producer was left with a fractured wrist after an “unprovoked assault” by Israeli law enforcement officials.
That incident occurred when journalists had been documenting worshippers praying outdoors the partitions of the Old City in East Jerusalem.
Violence within the West Bank has continued unabated even after the October 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, and for the reason that outbreak of the present struggle within the Middle East, there was a brand new spate of lethal assaults by Israeli settlers.