Foreign correspondents petition Israel Supreme Court for Gaza access

Jerusalem: The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem filed a petition on Tuesday with the Israeli Supreme Court requesting immediate access for international media to the Gaza Strip.

Several Israeli and international reporters have entered Gaza embedded with the Israeli military, but the association called this "limited access" and said it did not allow "access to areas where soldiers are not present".

The FPA, which it says represents some 370 journalists from around 130 media outlets, said it had submitted multiple requests to the government to gain access but had not received a response.

Nearly 20,000 Gazans have been killed, the enclave's health ministry said, during Israel's campaign to eradicate Hamas militants behind an Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw more than 200 hostages taken captive. The coastal enclave has been left in ruins, with widespread hunger and homelessness.

Neither the Israeli Government Press Office nor the prime minister's office immediately replied to a Reuters request for comment.

"We are aware of the unique security challenges posed by the current war, and any members entering Gaza would have to take these risks into account," the statement said. "But the Israeli government's recent agreement to allow aid to enter Gaza directly from Israel shows that such obstacles can be overcome."

Prior to Oct 7, reporters with an Israeli issued press card could enter Gaza and apply for an additional reporting permit from Hamas, which governs the enclave.