On February 19, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a harrowing report titled 'We returned from hell,' detailing a systematic strategy of torture, starvation, and sexual abuse against Palestinian journalists detained by Israel since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023. The report, based on interviews with 59 journalists, revealed that all but one reported experiences of torture, abuse, or violence. CPJ's CEO, Jodie Ginsberg, emphasized the urgent need for international action, stating, "The scale and consistency of these testimonies point to something far beyond isolated misconduct." Testimonies included severe physical abuse, with journalists describing being subjected to baton beatings, electroshocks, and forced into prolonged stress positions, including standing under sewage water. Notably, two journalists reported being raped, with Sami al-Sai recounting a horrific experience of being stripped and assaulted with objects in a small cell at Megiddo prison, leaving him in a "severe psychological state."