Hamas unveils reason behind news outlets ban

Islamic Movement of Hamas has backed the decision over the closure of Gaza offices of Al Arabiya TV and Palestinian news agency Maan, stressing that it will continue to secure policies which guarantee public freedom.
“Hamas has put the national reconciliation and investing the interest of Palestinian nation on top of its agenda,” Hamas said in a statement to provide reasons behind closure of Ma’an and Saudi-owned Al Arabiya offices in Gaza after a decision taken by Palestinian general prosecution office.
Hamas officials said that the news outlets are closed temporarily and the employees of the channels are prevented to enter the building located in al-Ramal neighborhood in central Gaza.
“A struggle for gaining freedom and fight against Zionists is at the stake of a full-fledged fight against conspiracies to avoid supererogatory services to the Al-Quds occupiers,” the statement added.
“The two news outlets distribute false news regarding the smear campaign against Hamas and Gaza.”
At the same time, Hamas government lauded other news channels for their services, saying that “Palestinians would like these media continue to cover truth and realities on the ground.”
According to Palestinian Ministry of Information, Hamas government has warned for several times against false reports and spreading rumors in the name of Hamas officials but the alerts went unnoticed and the forbidden news outlets continued to spread false stories.
“We will not let any media outlet to escalate relation between Hamas and other governments,” Hamas said in the statement.
The Gaza-based Hamas government came under furious attacks by Egyptian media, blaming Gazan officials for intervening in Egyptian internal affairs and providing assistance to Egypt Muslim Brotherhood.
The Saudi based Al-Arabiya and the Fatah affiliated Ma’an News Agency bureau overwhelmingly cover such reports which are denounced by Hamas officials.
Hamas shuts Al Arabiya office in Gaza
The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has shut down Gaza offices of Al Arabiya television network and Palestinian news agency Maan over what it called “false” reporting.
Hamas authorities said they are going to temporarily close the office of Al Arabiya and refrain all employees from entering the building, which is located in the al-Ramal neighborhood in the center of Gaza.
“The Attorney General decided to close down Al Arabiya… in Gaza for distributing false news regarding the smear campaign against Hamas and Gaza about what’s happening in Egypt,” a Hamas official told AFP.
Saudi-owned Al Arabiya refused to reveal the reasons behind its office closure in Gaza.
“We received the closure notice and an official statement from Al Arabiya will be published to respond to this decision,” said Islam Abd Al Kareem, Al Arabiya’s Gaza correspondent.
Maan’s editor-in-chief Nasser Lahham also said the news agency will forward a complain about threats to its staff to the Union of Arab Journalists and to the International Federation of Journalists.