Ramallah – 31th July 2013: Hamas Security forces seized the office keys of Ma’an agency and Al-Arabiya TV, preventing employees from entering their offices.
According to Ma’an agency editor-in-chief Nasser Al-laham who reported to MADA that Hamas security forces contacted the director of Ma’an’s office in Gaza, Imad Eid Monday 29th July 2013, and requested the keys to the office, but he refused to do so. Al-laham added: "the security summoned Mr. Eid yesterday to their headquarters and demanded him to hand over the key, but they refused to show him any official warrant that he must hand the keys. They also prevented any staff from entering the offices or to take anything from the office not even a pen."

Al-Arabiya TV correspondent Islam Abdel Kareem has reported to MADA that he had received a phone call yesterday from Hamas security forces and was called immediately to their headquarters, and when he went there, they asked him to hand over the keys to the office immediately, and not to allow any employee from entering the offices. Abdel Kareem added: "they did not talk to me or interrogate me regarding any news, and I did not receive any official warrant to hand over the keys, but they said that it is the implementation of the Attorney General's decision to close the office."

The Attorney-General Counsel Ismail Jabr had issued an order on Thursday 25th July 2013, to close the offices of Ma'an agency and Al-Arabiya TV in Gaza, on a temporary basis.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) Once again condemns the decision to close Ma’an and Al-Arabiya offices, and the confiscation of their keys. And MADA demands the respect for freedom of expression, an end all attempts to gag the media, and to allow journalists and media outlets to operate without restrictions.