An end to “Gaza now”? The owner was arrested in Austria, the computers were confiscated

Mustafa Ayash, the founder of the media channel “Gaza Now”, who has more than 300 thousand followers on X (formerly Twitter) and more than 1.8 million followers on Telegram, was arrested yesterday (Thursday) by the Austrian police – according to a statement published by the channel.According to a message published on the channel, the authorities in Austria confiscated his laptops and phones, closed some of his social networks and also blocked his access to his bank account. In a tweet on X, a document was published of the damage allegedly caused during his arrest.

 

The Austrian police stormed the home of the director of @EnglishGazaMr. Mustafa Ayyash, arrested him & his wife, confiscated his property, electronic devices, and cell phones, and closed all accounts on the social media!@gnnanow IS JUST AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN MEDIA AGENCY! https://t.co/KvW5vlVRCX pic.twitter.com/U48bLox50N

– Rokia (@Rokia36489233) March 28, 2024

In December, representatives of the United Nations accused in an official document that Mustafa Ayash, director of the Hamas media network Gaza Now, was killed in an IDF attack in Gaza. “He was killed along with at least eight members of his family, including children, in an alleged air attack on his home in the Nusirat camp,” the statement said. “International law obliges the parties to the conflict to do whatever is necessary to reduce harm to civilians, including journalists. In times of war, journalists perform an especially vital role.”

Last Wednesday, the US imposed sanctions on “Gaza Now” and its founder Mustafa Ayash for allegedly supporting Hamas. According to the US Department of the Treasury, with the outbreak of the war on October 7, the online platform began to raise funds to support the terrorist organization. An official at the US Department of the Treasury, Brian Nelson , emphasized that “the US and its partners will continue to harm Hamas’ capabilities.”

The United States was joined yesterday by Great Britain, which also announced that it would impose sanctions on Ayash and another entity related to “Gaza Now”. According to them, this is a news agency “that promotes the terrorist organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad”.

“All funds and economic resources in the UK belonging to or under their control have been frozen,” the British Treasury said in a statement. “No person in the United Kingdom may transfer funds, economic resources and financial services for or for their benefit, or to any of the companies or organizations owned or controlled by them.”

The British Ministry of Finance stated: “Britain and its partners are committed to cutting off the funding sources for Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and any other entity that supports terrorist activity that prevents sustainable peace in the Middle East.”