Israeli soldiers raid Al Jazeera's offices in Ramallah and order them to close

CNN
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The Israeli military searched Al Jazeera's office in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and ordered it closed, the broadcaster said.

Al Jazeera broadcast live footage early Sunday of Israeli soldiers entering its offices in Ramallah and kept the reactions of bureau chief Walid Omary and staff live on air.

During the video broadcast by Al Jazeera, a soldier can be heard informing Omar of a military order to close Al Jazeera's office for 45 days.

When Omary read the military order given to him, he said employees only had ten minutes to take their personal belongings and cameras and leave the office.

When Omary asked the Israeli soldiers why the office was being closed, he was told that the reason was stated in the written military order.

A security guard on duty at the time told CNN that the soldiers used explosives to breach the building's entrance.

“My eyes were heavy and I was almost asleep when I suddenly saw them breaking open the main door,” Abu Amer said. “I stood up to see what they were doing. They dropped the first bomb and then the second.”

“I tried to escape to the stairs and get some distance from them. I was so scared.”

Al Jazeera's office in Ramallah has been in operation for decades. This became even more important for the network after Israel closed its Jerusalem office and confiscated some of its communications equipment in May. This led to condemnation from the United Nations and human rights groups over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alleged actions to restrict press freedom.

After Al Jazeera staff left the office in Ramallah, live footage showed Omary and others outside on the street while the journalist said soldiers had taken over the office and confiscated materials.

Shortly afterwards, as Israeli soldiers approached Omary, the live video feed was interrupted and Omary could be heard saying that soldiers had taken away the camera and broadcast equipment the team had been using.

On site, CNN found significant damage to the exterior and interior of the City Center building, which also houses several stores and other offices. Several steps leading to the building were damaged and tiles were missing, while the main door was completely missing.

The entrance to the Al Jazeera workplace was completely sealed off with iron doors that the security official told CNN were installed by the Israeli military. Three surveillance cameras were also missing after they were confiscated by Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli military said it began enforcing the order to close the offices after an intelligence analysis concluded they were being used to “foment terror” and “support terrorist activities.”

Al Jazeera strongly rejected this allegation in a statement and condemned the “unfounded accusations” that the Israeli authorities had committed a “criminal act.”

“The raid on the office and the seizure of our equipment is not only an attack on Al Jazeera, but also an affront to press freedom and the principles of journalism,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

The Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents the foreign press in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said it was “deeply concerned” by an “escalation that threatens press freedom.” The FPA called on the Israeli government to reconsider the decision.

The Israeli government has long complained about Al Jazeera's activities, alleging anti-Israel bias and accusing the network of being a “mouthpiece of Hamas.”

The Qatar-based news channel, which has reported on the ground about Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, denies this. Since the Gaza offensive began following the October 7 attacks, several of its journalists have been killed or injured.