Israel Seizes AP Equipment, Shuts Down Gaza Live Feed on Tuesday, Returns Equipment

May 21, 2024, 04:27 PM

Israeli officials seized camera and broadcasting equipment from the Associated Press (AP) in southern Israel on Tuesday, accusing the news organization of violating a new media law by providing images to Al Jazeera. The new law bans Al Jazeera from operating in Israel. The AP's live feed from Gaza, including northern Gaza, was shut down as a result. The AP condemned the move, calling it an abusive use of the new foreign broadcaster law. The U.S. government expressed concern over the incident and urged Israel to reverse its decision. Following pressure from the U.S., Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi ordered the return of the seized equipment, stating that the Ministry of Defense wanted to examine the security risks posed by the broadcasts. The equipment was seized from the AP's location in Sderot on Tuesday afternoon.