Israeli forces raid Palestinian media companies 'linked to Hamas'

The raids came hours after the Israeli government declared that it would not recognize an emerging unity government that includes Hamas unless it made radical changes, such as recognise Israel and hand over its weapons.

Israeli forces raided three companies in Hebron providing production services to Hamas television, closing their offices and confiscating documents and equipment, a Palestinian journalists' union official said.

They were named as Palmedia, Ramsat and Transmedia, a satellite broadcasting facility where two staff members were also detained.

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Israeli media reported that a total of eight media firms were raided overnight, including in Ramallah and Bethlehem, although the Israeli army did not confirm those reports.

The offices of Palmedia in the northern West Bank city of Nablus were also sealed, an AFP photographer reported.

Israeli forces "searched a number of media and production offices suspected of broadcasting inciting content, encouraging, celebrating and promoting violence and terrorism against Israelis", a military spokeswoman told AFP.

"During the large-scale operation, media stations such as Ramsat and Transmedia were closed," she added.

"In addition forces seized equipment and documents from media companies that provided services to Al Aqsa and Al Quds - TV channels that are illegal organisations," referring to Hamas TV stations.

Israeli officials provided no specific examples of the alleged incitement.

'Blatant aggression'

The Palestinian Authority said it condemned the raids "in the strongest terms".

"Occupation forces committed a blatant aggression and gross violation of all international laws when they stormed Palestinian cities and raided media offices," PA government spokesman Yusef al-Mahmoud said in a statement.

He said the measures were a "clear challenge to the international efforts, especially the American efforts, to seek an opportunity for compromise and lay the foundations for peace and security with the agreement of all sides".

Some 50 people were out of work due to the Palmedia closures. The company provides services to a range of local and international media.

"This act threatens Palmedia's ability to continue its work to provide its services for satellite channels and produce a number of TV shows for several local, Arab and international media outlets," the company said in a statement.

Transmedia executive director Ibrahim al-Hossari told AFP "production companies in Palestine and all over the world provide production services that are more technical than news".

"We are not a news agency," he said. "Our work is purely technical and we are not responsible for the content provided by these channels."

Last week, rival political parties Fatah and Hamas signed a landmark unity deal aimed at ending a decade-long split.

Israel said on Tuesday it would not negotiate with a unity government which included Hamas, demanding that President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority (PA) "continue to act against Hamas terror infrastructures" in the West Bank.

Hamas has run the Gaza Strip for a decade but also has a presence in the occupied West Bank, where Abbas's Fatah-dominated PA rules.