Security forces in Gaza on Thursday evening forcibly dispersed demonstrators against the high prices in the Jabalia refugee camp, some 2 miles north of Gaza City, turning a peaceful sit-in against prices into a violent confrontation.
According to eyewitnesses, police officers attacked hundreds of demonstrators, beat and arrested several of them.
According to Ma’an, the security services assaulted journalist Sami Issa, and confiscated his cell phone with which he had been covering the demonstration against the rapidly rising prices.
Activists in the Gaza Strip last week launched a campaign to protest the high prices and multiple taxes, but security in Gaza arrested a number of them before the protests could gather more participants in that sit-in. On Thursday, a large crowd had gathered before Hamas security panicked and began arresting them.