Berlin criticized the closure of Al Jazeera in Israel

This Monday, German authorities criticized Israel for closing the Al Jazeera editorial office, emphasizing the importance of press freedom, especially “in times of conflict.”

“A free and diverse press is the cornerstone of any liberal democracy. Protecting press freedom is crucial, especially in times of conflict,” the German Foreign Ministry said in a post on social media site X.

For Berlin, the decision to close Al Jazeera on what Israel says is a charge of inciting attacks on state security and serving as a propaganda arm for Palestinian Islamists Hamas sends “the wrong signal.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the closure decision on Sunday, highlighting the unanimity of the military cabinet.

Shortly after the announcement of a law allowing foreign media deemed hostile to be restricted for 45 days, with the possibility of extension, Israeli police raided television offices in East Jerusalem and confiscated technical equipment.

Al Jazeera denies any ties to Hamas that violate its code of ethics and called the action “misleading and defamatory.”

Al Jazeera is one of the few international media outlets remaining in the Gaza Strip during the war, broadcasting bloody scenes of airstrikes and overcrowded hospitals, accusing Israel of committing massacres, and Israel accusing the channel of collaborating with Hamas.

The current war in the Gaza Strip began with the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which killed approximately 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and kidnapped more than 250 hostages, of whom 128 remain captive in the Gaza Strip and 35 people remain in captivity. died, according to Israeli data.

In response, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and launched a large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip that has already killed about 35,000 people, most of them civilians, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.