Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 10 August that his government will permit additional foreign reporters to enter the Gaza Strip, ending a nearly two-year blanket ban on independent international media. Access, however, will be limited to locations the military classifies as "safe areas," and journalists will need to coordinate their movements with Israeli authorities. Israel has barred foreign journalists from Gaza since the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023, a restriction that left global news outlets reliant on local stringers for coverage of the war and its humanitarian fallout. Press-freedom groups have repeatedly urged Jerusalem to ease the ban, arguing that independent scrutiny is essential amid allegations of civilian casualties and blockade-induced shortages in the enclave. Netanyahu’s decision comes days after an Israeli strike in Gaza City killed five Al Jazeera staff members. The military said one of those killed was a Hamas operative; the Qatar-based network rejected the claim as fabricated evidence and accused Israel of trying to silence critical coverage. The Prime Minister did not specify when the new access regime will take effect, how "safe areas" will be defined, or how many journalists will be accredited. Media organisations said they are seeking clarification on whether reporters will be allowed to operate without Israeli minders and whether travel to other parts of Gaza will remain prohibited.