Foreign Press Demand Access to Gaza Amid UN Warnings over War Debris, Jerusalem Officials’ Over Al-Aqsa Excavations

Israel’s Supreme Court has delayed a petition seeking independent media access to Gaza, as humanitarian and heritage concerns mount across the occupied Palestinian territories.

According to Arab News, the Foreign Press Association (FPA), representing hundreds of international journalists, filed the petition demanding unrestricted entry into Gaza, where Israel has barred foreign media since the war began in October 2023. Only a small number have entered under strict Israeli military escort.

During Thursday’s hearing, the State Attorney acknowledged that “the situation has changed” following an October 10 ceasefire and partial troop pullback under a US-brokered plan, and asked for 30 additional days to review conditions. No new hearing date has been set.

FPA chairperson Tania Kraemer said journalists have waited “really long for this day,” emphasizing the need to “work alongside our Palestinian colleagues.” FPA board member Nicolas Rouget said foreign media must help defend “the public’s right to reliable, independent reporting,” noting Palestinian reporters have “been the only ones able to inform the public” through two years of conflict.

Reporters Without Borders joined the petition, stating more than 210 Palestinian journalists have been killed during the war. The group called the media blackout an “unprecedented violation of press freedom.”

Meanwhile, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned that over 61 million tons of debris now blanket the Gaza Strip after more than two years of Israeli bombardment, Anadolu Agency reported. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, with families reportedly searching rubble for basic survival needs.

UNRWA said it has core humanitarian supplies for the next three months but continues to face Israeli restrictions after a 2024 Knesset vote sought to block its operations over allegations linking staff to Hamas — accusations rejected Wednesday by the International Court of Justice. The ICJ ruled Israel must allow relief agencies including UNRWA and the ICRC to ensure aid reaches Gaza’s civilian population.

According to Gaza health authorities, more than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed and 170,000 injured since the war began.

At the same time, the Jerusalem Governorate has raised renewed alarms over Israeli excavation works beneath and around Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning they threaten the stability of Islam’s third-holiest site and surrounding historic buildings in East Jerusalem, as reported by The Siasat Daily.

Marouf Al-Rifai, adviser to the governorate, said tunnels connecting colonial and tourist sites — including the “City of David” area and the 50-million-shekel “Pilgrims’ Road” project — form part of a political plan to Judaize the Old City and alter its cultural identity. He warned cracks have already been observed that could lead to structural collapse.

The excavations, some reaching a depth of 15 meters, have allegedly transformed ancient waterways into underground museums and synagogues. Palestinian officials say the work proceeds in secrecy, without international oversight, and violates the protected status of Jerusalem’s holy sites.

The governorate has urged the United Nations and UNESCO to intervene to prevent “irreversible damage” to Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem’s Islamic heritage.