Israel shuts off the television as Al Jazeera's office is raided

Al Jazeera's activities in Israel have been shut down by the government which regards the network as a mouthpiece for Hamas.

As long as the Gaza conflict is still going on the cabinet approved the closure according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Sunday police searched the office of the Qatari broadcaster at the Jerusalem-based Ambassador hotel.

Claims that it poses a threat to Israeli security have been deemed a "dangerous and ridiculous lie" by Al Jazeera.

The station declared that it will pursue every legal step in its discretion.

Shlomo Karhi, Israel's minister of communications reported that equipment was confiscated during the raid.

Police officers and inspectors from the ministry of communications are seen entering a hotel room in a video that the minister uploaded on Twitter and X.

When a BBC crew arrived on the scene cops stopped them from filming or entering the hotel.

In accordance with the government decision the Al Jazeera station's broadcasts have been stopped in Israel  was the statement that appeared on the Israeli satellite provider Yes according to Reuters.

But since Israel still has access to the channel via Facebook the blockage is really only partially in place.

Since it is forbidden for foreign journalists to visit Gaza, Al Jazeera employees have been among the few reporters present there.

The network has been accused of anti-Israeli bias by Israeli officials for many years.

Since the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7 when over 250 people were taken hostage and 1,200 people were killed their criticism of the broadcaster has grown more intense. Of those hostages, 128 are still missing and at least 34 are thought to be dead.

According to the health ministry headed by Hamas, Israel's ensuing military operation in Gaza has resulted in at least 34,683 Palestinian deaths and 78,018 injuries.

A bill authorising the government to temporarily shut down foreign stations deemed a threat to national security during the conflict against Hamas was passed by the Israeli parliament last month.

Minister of Communications Mr. Karhi, declared that the prohibition will take effect right away. Every forty-five days it would have to be recertified.

The provisional order states that it may lead to equipment seizures, office closures and the shutdown of Al Jazeera's website.

The home base of Al Jazeera, Qatar, is mediating negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the crisis which has lasted for nearly seven months.

A temporary ceasefire and the release of 105 Israeli hostages occurred in November as a result of earlier discussions that were brokered by Qatar.

Israel has been charged by Al Jazeera with intentionally targeting its employees.

Numerous journalists have been killed by Israeli strikes including Wael al-Dahdouh's son Hamza al-Dahdouh who oversaw Al Jazeera's Gaza desk. Reporters are not its aim according to Israel.

In reaction to the restriction on Sunday the network stated, "Israel's suppression of a free press to cover up its wrong doings by killing and arresting journalists hasn't stopped us from performing our duty."