Hamas closes al-Arabiya, Palestinian media offices in Gaza

Hamas authorities on Thursday shut down the offices of pan-Arab news channel Al-Arabiya and a Palestinian news agency in Gaza, accusing them of spreading false news concerning the militant group's relation with the Egyptian crisis. In a statement, the Hamas-run general prosecution office said that the Gaza branches of Al-Arabiya and the Bethlehem-based Palestinian Maan news agency, were temporary closed "until proper legal measures are taken." The move comes after the two media outlets published reports saying that some leaders of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood movement fled to Gaza after Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was ousted earlier this month. The reports cited the Israeli media and undisclosed sources. Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. The reports were published when some Egyptian media outlets accused Hamas of sending militants or people to assist their Egyptian Islamist allies, especially in attacks against Egyptian security targets in North Sinai, which borders Gaza.