Israel accused of press censorship over Gaza media blackout

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) has condemned Israel’s ongoing restrictions preventing foreign journalists from entering Gaza, demanding immediate access for independent reporting.

In a statement marking World Press Freedom Day, the Jerusalem-based group called the blockade an "unprecedented ban" and a "mark of shame for a country that claims to be a beacon of democracy". The FPA has petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court to overturn the policy.

The association praised Palestinian journalists covering the war "at great personal risk" but warned that Israel’s restrictions deprive the world of a complete understanding of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.