Foreign Press Association ‘concerned’ by Hamas restrictions in Gaza

22 August 2016, 9:36 pm

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The Foreign Press Association expresses concern over Hamas restrictions on journalists working in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement published on its website, the FPA says it has had several complaints about “intrusive questioning” undergone by journalists trying to enter Gaza or while applying for residency permits.

Members of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, holds his weapon as they guard a street in Gaza City on March 28, 2016. (AFP / MOHAMMED ABED)

“We urge [Hamas] to uphold their stated commitment to allowing the foreign press to work freely in Gaza, where until recently reporters were allowed to work with relatively few restrictions,” the statement says.

It ends with a reminder for journalists “to exercise caution when working in Gaza because of the volatile security environment there.”