Hamas militia forces held a local Gaza journalist overnight Monday despite intervention by other journalists. Hamas officials charged that the reporter, Fayeq Abu Jarad, tried to film a security post that Hamas captured in the military takeover from the Fatah faction three months ago. He was suspected of intending to transfer the film to Fatah officials in Judea and Samaria but was released the following morning.

"The Ministry of Interior stresses it supports freedom of expression but it also stresses that no one is above the law and that the profession of journalism does not give those who exercise it impunity to commit security and criminal violations," the ministry explained.

Fatah also has engaged in arresting and beating journalists. Its security forces beat and detained a Reuters News Agency journalist in Hevron earlier in the week.