Foreign Press Association for Israel: There is no longer any justification for obstructing journalists' entry to Gaza

SadaNews - The Foreign Press Association urged Israeli authorities on Friday to allow independent access to Gaza, after a ceasefire agreement came into effect, stating that "there is no longer any justification" for obstructing entry to the region. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israeli authorities have prevented foreign journalists from entering the devastated region, allowing only a few reporters on a case-by-case basis to accompany their forces into the besieged Palestinian territories. In a statement from the association, headquartered in Jerusalem and representing journalists working in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza with foreign media, it was noted that there is no reason to wait, welcoming "the agreement reached between the warring parties regarding the ceasefire in Gaza" which came into effect on Friday. Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of the plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, consisting of 21 points to end the war in Gaza. In this context, the ceasefire took effect at 12:00 PM on Friday, and the Israeli army announced its withdrawal to the agreed lines inside the Gaza Strip. The statement added, "With the fighting stopped, we renew our urgent call for Israel to immediately open the borders and allow foreign media to access Gaza freely and independently." The association has been requesting access to Gaza for the past two years. The association pointed out in its statement that "these requests have been ignored several times, while our Palestinian colleagues risked their lives to provide courageous reporting from Gaza continuously." The Israeli Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the Foreign Press Association's request to allow entry to Gaza on October 23. However, the association said that "there is no justification for waiting any longer," adding, "Enough with the excuses and delaying tactics. Restrictions on press freedom must end."