Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s Cabinet unanimously approved the shuttering of Qatar-owned media outlet Al Jazeera in the country, arguing it is acting against the Jewish State.

Netanyahu said the order approving the outlet’s closure will go into effect immediately on Sunday, nearly seven months since the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas began. The Israeli government is using a law designed to allow the prime minister to take action against a foreign media channel that “is harming the state.”

With the order in effect, Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel will be closed, its broadcast equipment will be confiscated, the channel and website will be blocked in the country, and the channel’s journalists will be prevented from broadcasting.

“After discussion by the Security Cabinet and pursuant to my directive, today the Government discussed closing Al Jazeera broadcasts in Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

“Al Jazeera correspondents have harmed the security of Israel and incited against IDF soldiers. The time has come to eject Hamas’s mouthpiece from our country. I thank Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi for his activity on the issue,” he added.

The Qatar-backed channel will be prevented from operating for 45 days because of the decision, according to the Associated Press. The Associated Press reports that an Al Jazeera correspondent has said the decision affects its operations in Israel but not in Gaza.

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Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi decried Al Jazeera as “Hamas’s mouthpieces in Israel,” in a statement on Sunday.

The suspension comes as ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Qatar, continue to proceed. Israel has continued to maintain that Hamas is holding up the release of the hostages it took on Oct. 7, during the terrorist attacks that sparked the conflict.