Israel Supreme Court Denies Foreign Media’s Request For Access To Gaza

The Israeli Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by international media organizations to allow journalists independent access to the war-torn Gaza Strip.

Israel controls entry into the besieged Palestinian territory and has not permitted journalists to travel there independently since the war began on October 7.

The court argued that the restrictions were necessary on security grounds, as the independent entry of journalists could endanger Israeli soldiers fighting Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

On Monday, in its ruling, the court ruled that allowing media inside Gaza could reveal operational secrets, such as troop locations, putting them in real danger.

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Jerusalem, which filed on behalf of dozens of international media organizations in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, expressed that it was disappointed by the ruling.

“Israel’s 95 days ban on independent foreign press access to Gaza is unprecedented”, the FPA stated in a statement Tuesday.

The court stated it was aiming to achieve a balance between the safety of journalists and soldiers and the freedom of the press.

It emphasized that foreign and Israeli journalists have limited access to Gaza under Israeli military escort. However, the FPA stated that the military escorts have been limited to select foreign media and are highly controlled.

“We believe Israel’s concerns about reporting on troop positions do not withstand scrutiny at a time when Palestinian journalists continue to operate in Gaza, and when the foreign press needs to access areas of Gaza where troops are not present”, the FPA statement reads.

According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 79 journalists and media professionals have been killed since the war started.

On Tuesday, the International Criminal Court announced that it was investigating potential crimes against journalists since the onset of war on October 7.

Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that an Israeli strike killed two of its Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip.

Following the latest deaths, the United Nations rights office warned Monday that it was very concerned about the high death toll among media workers in the territory.

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