The World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum have called on Israeli authorities to immediately lift the Defense Ministry’s order banning foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip. The ban effectively prevents journalists from covering the ongoing military operations in Gaza and, to a certain extent, in southern Israel.

"In times of war, it is even more critical to ensure that news media professionals can enter, circulate freely and report from conflict zones,” said Timothy Balding, the CEO of WAN. “It is essential to guarantee that news reporting is not restricted or censored and that journalists are not impeded or targeted by any parties to the conflict."

The Paris-based association, the global organisation for the world’s press, called on both Israel and Hamas to allow journalists to work unhindered in the conflict zone.

The ban on journalists entering Gaza has been in place since Israel launched an offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket fire on December 27.

More WAN press freedom protests can be found at http://www.wan-press.org/protests.php3