Israel's Supreme Court Postpones Media Access Petition for Gaza
Court delays hearing of Foreign Press Association petition demanding access to journalists in Gaza.
JERUSALEM: Israel’s Supreme Court has postponed the hearing of a petition filed by the Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents international media outlets based in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
The petition seeks independent access for journalists to enter the Gaza Strip.
Since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israeli authorities have prohibited foreign journalists from entering the territory, allowing only a limited number of reporters into Gaza alongside its military forces on controlled visits.
The State Attorney representing the Israeli government acknowledged that the situation has evolved since the petition was initially submitted and requested an additional 30 days to assess the changed circumstances.
As a result, no new date has been scheduled for the hearing at this time.
The FPA, which includes hundreds of foreign journalists, began advocating for independent access to Gaza shortly after the conflict erupted in response to Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023.
Israeli authorities have consistently rejected these demands.
The petition is supported by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international organization that promotes and defends press freedom.
RSF has pointed out that while Israeli forces have restricted foreign journalists from entering Gaza, they have killed over 210 Palestinian journalists within the territory.
Antoine Bernard, the director for advocacy and assistance at RSF, emphasized that this situation represents a severe infringement on press freedom and the public’s right to receive reliable, independent, and diverse media reporting.
RSF views the Supreme Court's decision as an opportunity to uphold fundamental democratic principles in response to widespread propaganda, disinformation, and censorship, especially concerning coverage of Gaza.
The organization calls for the court to end the two-year-long destruction of journalism within and about Gaza, arguing that there is no justification or restriction that can prevent international, Israeli, and Palestinian media from accessing the territory.
On October 10, following a ceasefire declaration by Israel and its partial withdrawal of troops from certain areas in Gaza as part of a broader plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to end the conflict.
The petition seeks independent access for journalists to enter the Gaza Strip.
Since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israeli authorities have prohibited foreign journalists from entering the territory, allowing only a limited number of reporters into Gaza alongside its military forces on controlled visits.
The State Attorney representing the Israeli government acknowledged that the situation has evolved since the petition was initially submitted and requested an additional 30 days to assess the changed circumstances.
As a result, no new date has been scheduled for the hearing at this time.
The FPA, which includes hundreds of foreign journalists, began advocating for independent access to Gaza shortly after the conflict erupted in response to Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023.
Israeli authorities have consistently rejected these demands.
The petition is supported by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international organization that promotes and defends press freedom.
RSF has pointed out that while Israeli forces have restricted foreign journalists from entering Gaza, they have killed over 210 Palestinian journalists within the territory.
Antoine Bernard, the director for advocacy and assistance at RSF, emphasized that this situation represents a severe infringement on press freedom and the public’s right to receive reliable, independent, and diverse media reporting.
RSF views the Supreme Court's decision as an opportunity to uphold fundamental democratic principles in response to widespread propaganda, disinformation, and censorship, especially concerning coverage of Gaza.
The organization calls for the court to end the two-year-long destruction of journalism within and about Gaza, arguing that there is no justification or restriction that can prevent international, Israeli, and Palestinian media from accessing the territory.
On October 10, following a ceasefire declaration by Israel and its partial withdrawal of troops from certain areas in Gaza as part of a broader plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to end the conflict.
