Israeli army takes over broadcasts on Hamas TV

The Israeli army on Monday took over programming at a Gaza-based Hamas television station “to broadcast warnings,” as deadly violence between the sides entered its sixth day.

Al-Aqsa television, the official station of Gaza’s Hamas rulers, said in a statement the Israeli army “is interfering with Al-Aqsa TV,” with the picture going on and off for several hours and sometimes appearing scrambled.

“We took over the Hamas television to broadcast warnings,” a military spokeswoman said, indicating the takeover would probably last for a number of hours.

But AFP correspondents in Gaza said they could see no warning being sent out by the army.

Since violence erupted on Wednesday, 90 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza. Over 500 rockets hit Israel, resulting in three deaths.

On Sunday, the army took over Hamas radio broadcasts in Gaza for several hours.

Also on Sunday, at least eight journalists were injured when Israeli jets bombarded two media buildings in Gaza City, with the military saying it had hit Hamas communications sites.

A statement from the Israeli army after the attack called on “international journalists... to stay clear of Hamas’s bases and facilities, which serve them in their activity against the citizens of Israel.”