Nothing like a Hamas government....

Strangling the media...and NGOs.....don't they know the NGOs love them???

Several NGOs, including radio stations, are facing closure after the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip decided to impose high fees and new conditions for renewing their licenses.

Human rights organizations in the Gaza Strip on Sunday sent a letter of protest to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh urging him to cancel the new measures.

Last week the Hamas-controlled Communications Ministry sent letters to the owners of radio stations in the Gaza Strip asking them to pay nearly 10,000 Jordanian dinars (about $14,000) as an annual fee for licenses.

In addition, the Hamas government has asked dozens of non-profit institutions to make public statements about the sources of their funding and the financial status of their employees. These institutions have also been asked to pay new taxes to the Hamas government.

The measures are seen by human rights activists in Gaza as an attempt to take control over the international organizations and maintain a tight grip over the local media.

Khalil Abu Shamalah, director of the Addamer rights organization, accused the Hamas government of working to undermine civil society in the Gaza Strip by targeting the NGOs and media.

He said that he and his colleagues were surprised by the new measures which, if they remained unchanged, would result in the closure of dozens of institutions and the firing of hundreds of employees.