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Israel has asked the High Court to maintain its May deadline in a case concerning foreign journalists' access to Gaza, arguing that the ongoing demands of the war mean the process is not yet complete. The request came in response to a motion by petitioners seeking to move up the state's next filing, according to separate reports by the Jerusalem Post.
The court had originally set a March 31 deadline following a January 26 hearing, in which justices also heard classified security material in a closed-door session. That timetable was later disrupted by the outbreak of the February 28 campaign against Iran, which then expanded to the Lebanon front. The court subsequently extended the deadline to May 19.
Coverage comparison
The Jerusalem Post reported that the state, in its Sunday response, pushed back against the request to move up its next filing, saying there was no basis to require an earlier update and no justification for advancing the case to the next procedural stage. The state argued that a substantial part of the period set aside for formulating its updated position was consumed by the war effort, and that multiple state bodies are still involved in shaping the response. It rejected the suggestion that what remains is merely a technical update, saying the filing requires substantive examination and coordination.
The petitioners, according to the Post, filed a motion in mid-April asking the court to shorten the latest extension and to make clear that no further extensions should be given. In the alternative, they asked the court to issue a conditional order and move the case toward a full merits-stage hearing this judicial year. The motion was filed by the Foreign Press Association in Israel together with organizations seeking to join as friends of the court, including the Union of Journalists in Israel, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Reporters Without Borders.
The Jerusalem Post also reported that the court had already refused an earlier attempt by the petitioners to move up the March 31 date. In a March 3 decision, the panel addressed the matter, and on March 29 it partly granted the state's request to extend the deadline to May 19.
Al Jazeera's coverage focused on the broader context, reporting that Israel continues to deny foreign reporters access to Gaza despite a ceasefire being in place. Al Jazeera highlighted a joint letter from executives of top media organisations calling on Israel to allow foreign journalists to enter and report from Gaza independently. The letter, signed by editors from more than two dozen media companies including the BBC, CNN, Reuters and The Associated Press, stated: "Being on the ground is essential. It allows journalists to question official accounts on all sides, to speak directly with civilians and report back what they witness firsthand." The letter added, "Freedom of the press is a basic value in any open society. It is time for the delays to end. Let us into Gaza."
Al Jazeera reported that the ban on independent entry has been in place since October 7, 2023, with the army occasionally bringing foreign reporters on highly controlled trips. The editors' statement noted that "the heaviest fighting is over and there is a ceasefire in place," and asked: "Journalists do not pose a threat to Israeli troops. There is a mechanism in place – however restrictive – that allows aid workers to enter and exit the territory. Why not journalists?"
Key claims
- The state argued that there is no basis to require an earlier update and no justification for advancing the case to the next procedural stage, citing ongoing war demands and unfinished coordination among state bodies.
- The petitioners argued that after months of repeated delays there is no justification for waiting until mid-May for another update, and that escorted entry is not a substitute for independent journalism.
- The court has emphasized the importance of journalistic coverage and the need for a fuller explanation of security claims, according to the Jerusalem Post's reporting on the court's March 3 decision.
- Al Jazeera reported that over 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of the war, and that Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Wishah was killed in an Israeli drone attack.
- The state's position, as reported by the Jerusalem Post, is that entry without military escort remains too dangerous.