Media Restricted Access in Gaza

It is being reported that news teams from around the globe, are having extreme difficulty in getting over the border into Gaza. As Israel's armed forces and police stop reporters as they approach areas in which the Israeli forces battle with militants in the region.

It has been stated by Sky News Uk at the end of a number of recent articles, in the form of bullet points how the restrictions are affecting foreign news crews.

It seems that there is a lottery of access being allowed. With only the first eight news teams being allowed access. What has not been made clear as yet, is what were the requirements with this so called lottery.

This is how the report looks at the bottom of articles regarding the conflict which Sky News UK have posted:

Restrictions On Reporting From Gaza

The Israeli authorities are not allowing foreign journalists free entry into Gaza.

The Foreign Press Association recently held a lottery for the first eight foreign media organisations to be given access to Gaza. Sky did not win a ticket in this first round.

Sky News, like other foreign media outlets, is relying on local Palestinian freelancers inside Gaza to give us the latest information.

Some military details may be subject to censorship by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). This is standard for all media organisations operating out of Israel.

It seems that foriegn media is having to rely on informants and freelance journalists actually within Gaza's war zones. These journalist seem to be more than willing, in sharing there experiences and pictures with the rest of the world. With some truly unbiased reporting from our Palestinian counterparts. Their stories are showing us truely how journalism should be, with some accurate and truthful accounts, backed up by video footage.

Speculation is rife about Israeli tanks and bombers hitting civilian areas. With new reports from inside Gaza stating that over 800 civilians have now been killed. With the Hamas run Health Ministry saying that the Israeli forces had killed at another 19 people, which included eight members from one family in the north of the Gaza Strip. Which had brought the figure of the Palestinian death toll from 15 days of fighting, up to more than 800.

The Israeli forces have also claimed to have killed at least 550 Palestinian militants since the assault on Gaza began. Updated news by Sky News sources suggest the conflict has seen a new call for a truce by the UN, ignored by both sides.

Sources: Sky News UK.