International media protest denial of access to Gaza (Roundup)

Jerusalem - Major international media organizations protested against Israel Thursday because it has prevented journalists from entering the Gaza Strip for almost two weeks. The media organizations, including ABC news, the BBC, CNN, the Associated Press, Reuters and the New York Times sent a letter to caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, saying they were 'gravely concerned' about the denial of access to the Gaza Strip to foreign journalists, which they called 'unprecedented.' The letter, signed by presidents, directors and editors in chief of the media outlets, urged Israel to 'immediately' restore access to Gaza for international journalists 'in the spirit of Israel's longstanding commitment to a free press.' Israel has for the past two weeks slapped a near-total closure on Gaza, allowing only basic humanitarian aid through its border crossings with the strip in response to renewed rocket fire. Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said Israel had issued no specific ban on the entry of journalists into Gaza, but said they were prevented from entering as part of Israel's policy to allow in only 'essential humanitarian supplies.' 'Our position is clear. Israel believes in the freedom of press. Israeli and international journalists who work in Israel know full well that they can work in complete freedom and the Arab journalists in the neighbouring countries can only envy the independence and the freedom of the media in Israel,' he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. 'Unfortunately because of the continued fighting the crossings into Gaza have not been able to function normally and many people, journalists included, have been inconvenienced,' he said. He added Israel was 'working and hopeful' that its crossings with Gaza would soon be able to function again as normal. A Hamas militant meanwhile was killed Thursday morning when a bomb he had been attempting to plant near Gaza's central border with Israel exploded prematurely, witnesses said. Medical officials said the body of Mohammed al-Ar'ir, 19, was brought to Gaza City's Shifa hospital, with apparent shrapnel wounds in most of his body, at 7:45 am (0445 GMT). A statement issued by Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said one of its fighters was 'martyred while on a mission east of Gaza City.' It did not elaborate. Al-Ar'ir's death brings to 15 the number of militants killed since a new wave of violence hit the Hamas-controlled territory over the past two weeks. The latest violence has rocked an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that held for five months. The truce began unravelling following a November 4 Israeli military incursion just over Gaza's central border, aimed at destroying a 250-metre underground tunnel built by militants who Israel said were plotting to abduct soldiers from Israeli territory. The Israeli force was confronted by local militants, sparking the fiercest clashes since the truce took effect June 19 and leaving six dead, most of them members of Hamas' armed wing. Since then, militants have launched at least 150 rockets and mortar shells into Israel, a military spoksewoman said. Israel has responded by shutting its borders with Gaza to all but one shipment so far of 33 trucks with basic food and medical supplies and a limited amount of fuel for Gaza's power plant.