Israeli Forces Raid Al Jazeera Office in Ramallah, Deploy Tear Gas, Order 45-Day Closure

Sep 22, 2024, 06:47 AM

Israeli forces raided the Al Jazeera office in Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank, early Sunday morning. Heavily armed and masked soldiers entered the building, delivering a military order to close the office for 45 days. The raid, which occurred around 3:20 a.m. local time, involved the confiscation of equipment and documents. Al Jazeera was conducting a live broadcast when the raid happened, and the exchange was broadcast live on Al Jazeera Arabic. The forces attempted to break down the iron door of the building, and staff were given 10 minutes to evacuate. Tear gas was also deployed during the operation. The network has condemned the action as 'criminal' and an affront to press freedom. No reason for the closure was provided by the Israeli forces.