Israel shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in the country and seized some of its communication equipment Sunday, prompting condemnation from the United Nations and rights groups over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s moves to restrict press freedoms.

The closure comes as ceasefire and hostage negotiations in Cairo show little sign of breakthrough after almost seven months of war, and international concern mounts over Israel’s expected military offensive in southern Gaza’s Rafah, where 1.5 million people are sheltering amid a devastating humanitarian crisis.

The Qatari-based news network, which has produced dogged, on the ground reporting of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, called the closure of its offices a “criminal act,” while critics said the move was a “dark day for democracy” and that it sets a concerning precedent for other international media outlets operating in Israel.

In a statement posted on X, Netanyahu said: “The government headed by me unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel.”

The Israeli Ministry of Communications said Sunday it had closed the network’s Jerusalem offices, and confiscated its communication equipment. “In addition, the network’s broadcasts on cable and satellite were stopped, and access to its websites was blocked,” the ministry said.