Israel designates five Palestinian news outlets as ‘terrorist’ groups

Israel fails to provide proof for allegations against Al Asima News, Quds Plus, Alquds Albawsala, Maraj and Maydan AlqudsPublished On 23 Feb 2026Israel’s Defence Minister Israel-katz" class="entity-link entity-person" data-entity-id="4249" data-entity-type="person">Israel Katz has signed a military order designating five Palestinian local online media platforms as “terrorist” organisations, alleging links to Hamas, according to local Israeli media.The order announced by Katz on Monday targets Al Asima News, Quds Plus, Alquds Albawsala, Maraj and Maydan Alquds. It said the outlets are used to incite unrest, particularly in Jerusalem.Recommended Stories list of 1 itemlist 1 of 1Israel remained leading killer of journalists in 2025: Watchdogend of listThe decision comes as media monitors and rights groups continue to highlight Israel’s crackdown on freedom of speech, including in the occupied Palestinian territories.Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, said the order targets vital sources of information for Palestinians, serving as their “eyes and ears, especially in Jerusalem”.“The occupied West Bank is divided by over a thousand gates and checkpoints, while entry into occupied East Jerusalem for most Palestinians is basically impossible – certainly not without an Israeli permit,” she said.“These media outlets provide Palestinians with minute-to-minute updates of what is happening in Jerusalem, of Israeli violations, of the atmosphere.”Odeh noted that the Israeli Ministry of Defence has not provided “any evidence” regarding the accusations against the five media outlets.“We’ve seen Israel lodge these kinds of accusations against Palestinian journalists in the past without foundation, even accusations that were debunked. But still, journalists paid with their freedom or sometimes their lives because of them.”