Deir al-Balah, Gaza Journalists gathered at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza expressed their anger and confusion over the Palestinian Authority’s decision to close Al Jazeera’s office in the occupied West Bank.

Independent journalist Ikhlas Al-Qarnawi said: “Closing a major media outlet like Al Jazeera is a crime against journalism.”

“Al Jazeera’s coverage has documented Israeli crimes against Palestinians, especially during the ongoing genocide,” the 28-year-old journalist told Al Jazeera in the hospital, the Strip’s most reliable internet connection to record stories from.

On Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority temporarily suspended the broadcast of Al Jazeera in the occupied West Bank, due to what it described as broadcasting “inflammatory materials and reports that would mislead and incite strife” in the country.

The decision came after Fatah, the Palestinian faction that dominates the Palestinian Authority, prevented Al Jazeera from reporting from the Jenin, Tubas and Qalqilya governorates in the occupied West Bank, claiming it was covering clashes between Palestinian security forces and armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank. region.

The island He criticized the Palestinian Authority banSaying that this step is “in line with… [Israeli] The occupation’s measures against its employees.”

“Huddling the truth”

Since the beginning of the war, about 150 journalists have been working in the journalists’ tents at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, for 20 local, international and Arab media outlets.

Journalists, including Al Jazeera journalists, were forced to work from hospitals after their headquarters and media offices were destroyed.

Al-Aqsa Channel correspondent, Muhammad Issa, said from the hospital that the Palestinian Authority’s decision contradicts international laws that guarantee freedom of the press, and could expose journalists to more danger.

“The Palestinian Authority’s decision obscures the truth and undermines the Palestinian narrative, especially a leading network like Al Jazeera,” Issa said, adding that the ban reinforces the Israeli narrative that “justifies the targeting of Palestinian journalists.”

He added: “All media professionals in Gaza reject this decision, which silences the largest Arab and international media outlet during critical times for years.”

Wafa Hajjaj, a freelance journalist who works with TRT and Sahaat, said the ban made her “sad” and “frustrated.”

Hajjaj said: “At a time when Israel is deliberately targeting and killing journalists in Gaza, first and foremost our colleagues on Al Jazeera, without international or institutional protection, the Palestinian Authority’s move in the West Bank is exacerbating the situation.” Her team entered the hospital to meet the wounded.

Israel has At least 217 journalists were killed And media professionals in Gaza since the beginning of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.

Four of them were Al Jazeera journalists: Samer Abudaqa, Hamza al-Dahdouh, Ismail al-Ghoul and Ahmed al-Louh.

“Al Jazeera’s confidence will continue.”

Despite the frustration, Hajjaj told Al Jazeera that she hopes the Palestinian Authority will drop its ban “as soon as possible.”

He added: “I am confident that Al Jazeera will continue despite all the sanctions, as it has done for years.”

Youssef Hassouna, a photojournalist with 22 years of experience, also criticized the closure of Al Jazeera, along with “any other media outlet” targeted by such a ban.

“This is a violation against all of us as Palestinian journalists,” he said, adding that Al Jazeera is an “essential platform” for covering the Israeli war on Gaza.

“Now more than ever, we Palestinian journalists need international support and protection, not restrictions or restrictions,” Hassouna said.

‘terrible mistakes’

Ismail Al-Thawabta, spokesman for the government media office in Gaza, said that the Palestinian Authority committed two grave mistakes over the past few weeks.

“the first: Attack on Jenin He added: “The second matter: closing the Al Jazeera office, and the resulting military confrontation with our honorable Palestinian people and the resistance forces, and the second: closing the Al Jazeera office,” adding that this step represents “serious violations of press freedom.”

Al-Thawabta said that the two incidents require the Palestinian Authority to conduct a comprehensive review of its policies and positions in accordance with the highest national interests and respect for the rights and basic freedoms of our Palestinian people.

As for the journalists gathered at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, they were united in their call to lift the ban.

“We as journalists are completely against that. “I hope that the necessary measures will be taken to stop this decision immediately.” said independent journalist Al-Qarnawi, adding that the ban hurts more than just journalists.

“Our Palestinian people are the biggest losers”