Israel bans Al Jazeera news network, says Benjamin Netanyahu | Global Updates

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the government has decided to shut down Qatar’s global news channel Al Jazeera’s local branch. This decision comes after a long-standing tension between the country and the international news channel.

Netanyahu referred to Al Jazeera as the “incitement channel” and stated on social media that the government unanimously agreed to close it in Israel. This move is part of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with Netanyahu rejecting Hamas’ demands for ending the war in Gaza in exchange for Israeli hostages.

The health ministry of Hamas-run Gaza reported that 34,683 people have died during the seven-month-old Israel-Gaza war, with over 78,018 people wounded in the Gaza strip. The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire due to a famine in northern Gaza, further straining ties between Israel and the United States.

Efforts to broker peace between Israel and Hamas are underway, with Qatar, Egypt, and the US involved in negotiations. However, a Hamas official stated that there won’t be a truce until Israel stops the war and withdraws from Gaza.

Despite international pressure, Israel has not agreed to any guarantees that the war will end and has warned of further attacks if hostages are not released. The situation remains tense, with no clear resolution in sight.