Israel agreed Thursday to allow small groups of foreign journalists to enter Gaza via Israeli crossings in the western Negev. The crossings have been closed to all but critically ill Gaza patients and trucks bringing humanitarian supplies due to rocket attacks on southern Israel.
Foreign aid workers will also be allowed to enter Gaza via Israeli crossings.
The decision to allow journalists through the crossings was made after the Foreign Press Association filed an appeal to the High Court of an Israeli ban on entering the Hamas-controlled area, accusing Israel of violating laws guaranteeing freedom of the press. During a hearing on the matter held Wednesday Justices Dorit Beinisch, Elyakim Rubenstein and Hanan Meltzer pushed the state to open the crossings to journalists.
The state has agreed to allow groups of eight journalists at a time to enter Gaza. The journalists must be prepared to leave for Gaza on short notice, as crossings will be opened only for a short time and only when security concerns permit.
The Press Association appealed the state's decision on Thursday and asked to transfer 12 journalists at a time to Gaza, not eight. The state should allow more journalists to use the crossings in order to allow all networks to have a representative in Gaza, they said.
The appeal was based on the High Court's decision to “strike a balance between the danger to human life and the need for media coverage,” according to association spokespeople.
Gaza crossings have been closed for four weeks as Hamas and other terrorist organizations launch rockets at Israeli cities on a daily basis. Dozens of journalists were stuck outside the area, unable to enter after both Israel and Egypt closed their crossings. Many media outlets used material from Gaza stringers in order to cover Israel's “Cast Lead” operation against Hamas.