Hamas decries joint US-EU ban on Aqsa TV as an assault on media freedom

Hamas has condemned a joint decision by the United States and the European Union to ban the broadcast of Al-Aqsa television, a Palestinian Arabic-language channel affiliated with the Gaza-based resistance movement, on all communications satellites.

The group, in a statement, denounced the measure as an attempt to stifle their voice and obstruct their ability to communicate with the world.

The move is “a blatant violation of media freedom and the legitimate right of Palestinian people to have their voice heard globally,” read the statement.

It emphasized that such an unjust decision constitutes a direct attack on free Palestinian media outlets, which seek to expose the suffering of Palestinian people and the crimes of Zionist occupiers to the international community.

“This action is in line with the suppression of freedom of expression and silencing the platforms that expose the true face of organized Zionist terrorism.

“It is also part of targeted policies to censor the Palestinian narrative, limit international media coverage of developments in Gaza, and is in unison with relentless attacks on journalists working in the region,” the statement added.

Hamas called on international news organizations to denounce the decision and not remain silent in the face of the Zionist regime’s aggression against international law and humanitarian principles.

The resistance movement emphasized that all efforts by the occupying Tel Aviv regime to silence the truth and distort reality are doomed to failure.

“The voice of resistance will remain alive, and will continue to defend the legitimate rights of Palestinians until freedom and right of return are achieved,” it pointed out.

According to the joint US-EU decision, any satellite service broadcasting al-Aqsa TV will be liable to fines under the trumped-up charge of “providing support to terrorism.”

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For its part, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement denounced the ban on al-Aqsa TV as a new siege aimed at suppressing and stifling the Palestinian voice, and preventing the nation from conveying their suffering to the world.

The movement’s media office in a statement roundly condemned these “sinful efforts,” saying they are meant to silence the Palestinian voice and cover up the occupying regime’s crimes and the war of extermination it is waging against Palestinians.

“This measure is nothing but a clear attempt to restrict the media sphere and undermine the legitimate rights of Palestinians to express their suffering. It is inconsistent with the most basic principles of freedom and human rights,” the statement read.

The Islamic Jihad movement voiced its full solidarity with al-Aqsa TV and its staff and with all parties and voices seeking to convey the truth and highlight the grievances of the Palestinian nation.

“We call on all media institutions to stand united against such unjust attempts, and underline the need to support Palestinian media in the face of every attempt to suppress our people,” the statement said.

The government media office in the Gaza Strip also slammed the European-American decision to block al-Aqsa TV on all satellites.

It said the move “represents a blatant assault on public freedoms, freedom of opinion and expression, and a systematic suppression of the Palestinian narrative.”

The Gaza media office stated that the decision reflects “a clear alignment with the open war waged by the occupation (Israel) against Palestinian media” and represents “a reward for the occupation’s crimes against journalists.”

The media office urged “reversing the decision, which violates international laws and resolutions.”

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