Israeli army raids Ramallah, renews closure of Al Jazeera office
Israeli forces raided the West Bank city of Ramallah early Tuesday, storming Al Jazeera’s office and renewing a closure order. Military measures tightened at northern entrances, disrupting Palestinian movement with road closures and tear gas.
Israeli military forces carried out a raid on the central West Bank city of Ramallah in the early hours of Tuesday, storming the office of Qatar-based Al Jazeera network.
Office stormed, closure renewed
Witnesses told Anadolu that an Israeli army unit entered central Ramallah and raided Al Jazeera’s office in Manara Square. The forces posted an official order renewing the office’s closure and fired tear gas and stun grenades around the square. Israeli troops also tightened military measures at Ramallah’s northern entrances and closed main roads for several hours, causing traffic congestion and disrupting Palestinian movement.
Background of closures
On May 5, 2024, the Israeli government approved a decision to shut Al Jazeera’s offices for 45 days based on a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi. The order has since been extended multiple times. The occupied West Bank has seen a surge in Israeli military raids and attacks since October 2023, resulting in at least 1,154 Palestinian deaths, around 11,750 injuries, and nearly 22,000 arrests, according to official Palestinian data. Türkiye has repeatedly condemned Israel’s closures of media outlets and its military operations in the West Bank, calling them attacks on press freedom and violations of international law.
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