Foreign Press Association Strongly Protests Hamas Harassment in Gaza (NY Times Reporter Supports Hamas)

Reports of Hamas harassment have emerged throughout the month-long Gaza war, but Hamas and Hamas supporters in the mainstream media have denied any harassment occurred. The FPA is the first press association fighting back against the harassment. It has accused Hamas authorities of "blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods" against visiting international journalists covering the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

The FPA statement reads:

The FPA protests in the strongest terms the blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods employed by the Hamas authorities and their representatives against visiting international journalists in Gaza over the past month.

The international media are not advocacy organisations and cannot be prevented from reporting by means of threats or pressure, thereby denying their readers and viewers an objective picture from the ground.

In several cases, foreign reporters working in Gaza have been harassed, threatened or questioned over stories or information they have reported through their news media or by means of social media.

We are also aware that Hamas is trying to put in place a "vetting" procedure that would, in effect, allow for the blacklisting of specific journalists. Such a procedure is vehemently opposed by the FPA.

In related (and not surprising) news, NY Times reporter Jodi Rudoren​ reiterated her support for the Hamas position:

@joshmitnick Every reporter I've met who was in Gaza during war says this Israeli/now FPA narrative of Hamas harassment is nonsense
— Jodi Rudoren (@rudoren) August 11, 2014