The Foreign Press Association (FPA) is shocked and saddened that 18 months into Israel’s war against Hamas, Israel continues to impose an unprecedented ban preventing foreign journalists from entering Gaza.

Never in Israel’s history has the government imposed such sweeping restrictions on the media for such an extended period. This is a mark of shame for a country that claims to be a beacon of democracy.

We salute our Palestinian colleagues who continue to report the story at great personal risk. Nonetheless, the Israeli restrictions have severely hindered independent reporting and robbed the world of a full picture of the situation in Gaza.

Our repeated requests for dialogue and access have been snubbed, and the government has sought to repeatedly delay our case to the Supreme Court. We call on Israel to stop the never-ending delays, uphold the fundamental principles of press freedom and allow unrestricted entry for journalists to Gaza.

The Board of the Foreign Press Association in Israel and the Palestinian Territories