By Micah Jonah
January 29, 2026
Israel’s Supreme Court has postponed a decision on whether to allow foreign journalists independent access to Gaza, extending a legal battle that has lasted more than a year.
The court gave the Israeli government until March 31 to respond to a petition filed by the Foreign Press Association (FPA), despite state attorneys failing to provide detailed explanations beyond citing security concerns. The FPA represents 370 journalists from 130 media outlets and has been calling for unrestricted access to Gaza to report on conditions without embedding with the Israeli army.
Justice Ruth Ronen criticized the government’s arguments, stating that citing “security risks” without specifics is insufficient, especially given significant changes on the ground since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.
“This process offers no opportunity to rebut the government’s classified security claims, allowing the continued arbitrary and open-ended closure of Gaza to foreign journalists,” the FPA said.
The postponement marks the ninth extension granted to the government since the petition was filed in September 2024. The decision comes just days after Israel extended Al Jazeera’s shutdown for another 90 days, citing national security concerns.
Meanwhile, US mediators continue to push for progress on a Gaza demilitarization plan, including an “internationally funded buyback” programme aimed at disarming Hamas. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said independent monitors would oversee the decommissioning of weapons as part of the process.
Hamas still controls nearly half of Gaza beyond the Yellow Line, where Israeli
forces remain present.
Palestinian officials said no detailed
disarmament plan had yet been presented by the US or mediators, raising concerns about the feasibility of the demilitarization programme.
