Israel designates five Palestinian media outlets as 'terrorist entities'

Israel has designated five Palestinian media outlets as "terrorist" entities, alleging the platforms have links to Hamas in the latest targeting of the press.

Defence Minister Israel Katz signed a military order on Monday targeting Al-Asima News, Quds Plus, Alquds Albawsala, Maraj and Maydan Alquds, alleging they are behind "incitement" in the occupied territories, without providing evidence to back their claims.

These outlets were focused mainly on coverage of occupied East Jerusalem, where Israel is continuing to expand settlements and impose restrictions on Muslim worshippers during the holy month of Ramadan.

TRT World reported that the ban, along with other Israeli restrictions on journalists, means that there are virtually no independent Palestinian media outlets now operating in East Jerusalem, at a time Palestinians in the West Bank feel increasingly under siege from Israeli army and settler assaults.

After the terrorist designation announcement, Al-Asima News announced it was suspending operations, highlighting the suffocating environment that independent Palestinian media now must operate in.

"This is not a retreat from our mission, but a measure to protect our journalists from the occupation’s brutality," Al-Asima said.

There have been attempts by Israel to cripple Palestinian and Arab media covering events in Israel and the occupied territory, with a ban on Al Jazeera operations and the closure of its offices in the country.

Israel has even pressured YouTube into blocking livestreams of the Qatar-based broadcaster on its platform in Israel, while extending the so-called 'Al Jazeera Law' by two years, which gives authorities the power to shutdown foreign media outlets.

All of this is seen as targeting non-Western or Israeli media operating in Israel and the Palestinian territory, providing independent and pro-Palestine narratives of events in the region.

Israel has targeted Al Jazeera and other journalists in Gaza, killing around 200 media workers during its two-year genocide in the enclave.

Israel's actions against the Palestinian press and journalists have been condemned by the US and media watchdogs.