Hamas, PIJ condemn US-Europe decision to block Al-Aqsa TV as media suppression [Getty]
Hamas, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have fiercely condemned a joint decision by the United States and European nations to block Al-Aqsa TV, a channel affiliated with the Palestinian group.
The decision to block Al-Aqsa TV was reportedly influenced by a complaint filed by Israel, with French satellite provider Eutelsat suspending the channel’s transmission.
The decision has led to the imposition of heavy fines on satellite providers that continue to broadcast the channel, along with the threat of criminal charges for “sponsoring terrorism”.
Groups have branded the move as a blatant attack on press freedom and a systematic suppression of the Palestinian narrative.
Both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have strongly criticied the move, calling it a blatant attack on press freedom.
Hamas said the decision was “a flagrant violation of media freedom and our people’s legitimate right to have their voices heard”.
The group said it was a targeted attack on Palestinian media, aimed at preventing the suffering of the Palestinian people and the crimes of Israeli forces from reaching the global audience.
“This unjust decision represents a direct targeting of the free Palestinian media, which conveys the suffering of our people and the crimes of the occupation to the world,” the statement added.
Hamas also accused Israel of “attempting to obscure the Palestinian narrative, prevent international press and media outlets from entering the Gaza Strip, and deliberately and continuously target journalists working there”.
In its statement, the PIJ expressed full solidarity with Al-Aqsa TV and condemned the decision as an effort to silence the Palestinian voice and cover up Israeli crimes.
The Gaza Media Office called it “a blatant assault on public freedoms” and describing it as part of Israel’s broader “war against Palestinian media”.
The office pointed out the ongoing attacks on Palestinian journalists, including the deaths of over 200 journalists since the start of the conflict, as well as the systematic destruction of media facilities in Gaza.
The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) said the ban was as “blatant and flagrant bias in favour of the false Zionist narrative”.
Al-Aqsa TV, which has been a crucial source of information in Gaza and the West Bank, vowed to continue its mission despite the ban.
In a statement, the channel aid: “This unjust decision is inseparable from the open war on Palestinian media, which has culminated in the cold-blooded targeting of journalists.
“The occupation assassinated more than 25 journalists from the channel’s crew and destroyed its headquarters in the Gaza Strip, in a desperate attempt to silence the truth.”
The channel, which has faced challenges in maintaining its satellite transmissions since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza, said it would explore alternative broadcasting methods.
