Israeli forces raided the offices of Al Jazeera in the Israeli-occupied West Bank early Sunday, ordering the bureau to close as part of an escalating campaign against the Qatar-based network, which has been covering the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

Al Jazeera broadcasted live footage on its Arabic channel, showing Israeli troops instructing the office to shut down for 45 days. This followed a previous incident in May when Israeli police raided Al Jazeera's East Jerusalem office, seizing equipment and halting its broadcasts within Israel, while blocking access to its websites.

This marks the first instance where Israel has completely shut down a foreign news outlet. Despite the restrictions in Israel, Al Jazeera has continued its operations in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza, territories Palestinians claim as part of their future state.

The Israeli military has not yet responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera condemned the move, continuing to broadcast live from its Amman bureau in Jordan.

Israeli troops, seen live on air, ordered the shutdown and told staff to leave the premises immediately. The network later aired footage showing Israeli forces dismantling a banner on the office's balcony, which featured an image of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist who was killed by Israeli forces in May 2022.

"There is a court order to close Al Jazeera for 45 days," an Israeli soldier told the network's local bureau chief, Walid al-Omari. He instructed the staff to take their equipment and vacate the office immediately.

According to al-Omari, Israeli forces also confiscated documents and equipment from the office. The raid took place as tear gas and gunfire were heard nearby. Al-Omari later told the AP that the Israeli military invoked laws from the British Mandate era to justify the closure.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the raid, calling it "a new aggression against journalistic work and media outlets."

Israel's Communications Minister, Shlomo Karhi, referred to Al Jazeera as "the mouthpiece of Hamas and Hezbollah," justifying the closure as part of Israel's effort to combat these groups. He also pledged to continue supporting Israeli soldiers, but did not specify the legal grounds for the closure order.

The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern over the raid, emphasizing that journalists must be allowed to work freely.

Al Jazeera has provided continuous coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, including on-the-ground reporting from Gaza, where some of its staff have been injured or killed in Israeli attacks.

While it remains unclear whether Israel will target Al Jazeera’s Gaza operations, the network’s Arabic service often features statements from Hamas and other militant groups. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have accused the network of undermining Israel’s security, claims that Al Jazeera denies. Qatar, which funds the network, has been a key player in mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas.

The closure of the Ramallah office adds to a history of tensions between Israel and Al Jazeera, though Israel generally allows foreign media outlets to operate freely, even during wartime. Israel has also blocked broadcasts from Hezbollah-affiliated networks, such as Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen, since the start of the current conflict.

This crackdown on Al Jazeera comes amid fears of the war escalating to include Hezbollah in Lebanon, following recent cross-border violence.

AP