The Ramallah-based Al-Quds, Al-Ayyam and the Al-Hayat al-Jadida were all stopped by Hamas from distributing their newspapers in Gaza this week. The newspapers were originally prevented from entering Gaza three years ago when Israel closed the crossings after Hamas seized control of the region.
Israel decided two weeks ago to allow the papers to resume distribution in the region, and on Wednesday, Gaza residents expected to see the first edition of the newly-resumed publications – but Hamas police officers standing at the Erez Crossing confiscated all the copies from distributors delivering the papers.