CPJ urges Media Freedom Coalition to push for press access in Gaza

New York, January 22, 2026—Ahead of a hearing by Israel’s Supreme Court on January 26, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on dozens of governments to support independent, unimpeded media access to Gaza. 

The 29 governments that expressed support to end the media ban are all members of the Media Freedom Coalition, a group of countries committed to defending press freedom. CPJ and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) are members of the MFC’s advisory network. 

In a letter co-signed by CPJ and RSF, the organizations urged the foreign ministers of 29 governments to build on their statement from August 2025 and support the Foreign Press Association in Israel’s second petition to the Israeli Supreme Court seeking free and independent access for journalists to the Gaza Strip. Both CPJ and RSF have filed briefs with the Israeli court to immediately grant access.

“Governments that stand for informed societies must seize this moment of transition to ensure that journalists seeking to enter the Gaza Strip can do so freely and unhindered. Keeping journalists out sets a new, dangerous norm in a world where conflict is proliferating,” said CPJ Chief Global Affairs Officer Gypsy Guillén Kaiser. “With its media ban, Israel is in violation of its international commitments, while also hindering vital and timely reporting that can save lives and inform political decision-making.” 

In the letter, the organizations warned that a failure to act to end Israel’s media ban would incentivize parties in other conflicts to restrict independent reporting. News leaders across the world have previously demanded entry to Gaza, to complement the immense work bearing witness delivered by their exhausted Palestinian colleagues, more than 200 of whom have been killed by Israel. 

CPJ research has shown that journalists on escorted visits to Gaza since the October 2025 ceasefire have consistently faced restricted movement, curated interactions, pre-publication review, and staged visuals.

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About the Committee to Protect Journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. We defend the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

Note to Editors: 

On Monday, January 26, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. local time, the Israeli Supreme Court will issue its ruling on the Foreign Press Association’s petition to overturn the ban on foreign media access to Gaza. The proceedings follow months of delays and extensions by the court and the Israeli government, which recently asserted its intention to continue the ban on media access.