UK news organisations are becoming increasingly frustrated by the continuing ban preventing foreign correspondents from crossing into the Gaza Strip, more than two weeks after Israel's military offensive against Hamas began.

After months of attempting to limit access, the Israel Defence Forces are still refusing to open the Erez crossing they closed on 27 December, when the bombing campaign began, to anything other than humanitarian aid – despite a supreme court ruling ordering the government to allow members of the international press into Gaza.

David Mannion, the ITV News editor-in-chief, branded the Israeli media ban "disgraceful", while Dominic Wagthorn, the Sky News Middle East correspondent, said the "unprecedented" level of interference was "very frustrating".

However, a spokesman for the Israeli embassy in London responded that his government was only limiting media access to a war zone as other countries, including the UK, would do in the same situation.

Mannion accused the Israelis of censoring the war. While pictures were coming out of Gaza from news agencies Reuters and Associated Press, having his crews stuck on the border, he said, meant events were increasingly difficult to verify.

"If Israel is saying that Hamas fired rockets from inside a school complex then let us in to verify that. It is frankly disgraceful for any democracy to prevent us from entering an area to report. It is up to us, not them, to decide if it is too dangerous to enter," he added.

Channel 4 News, similarly blocked from entering the territory, is using a local Palestinian team of cameramen and producers to report on the effect of air strikes and fighting on the Palestinians.

"I imagine that the Israelis are calculating that the longer they keep people out, the more interest will wane," Ben dePear, Channel 4 News foreign editor, told MedianGuardian.co.uk.

Sky News, along with other international news groups, was prevented from filming in areas on the Israeli side of the border as the IDF created a closed military zone and moved reporters on to a specially designated hill overlooking the territory, but away from the fighting.

"The hill was full of experts and spokesmen from various Israeli departments and agencies. They are able to spin it. Meanwhile there is a terrible loss of life going on that we can't cover. It's very frustrating," said Wagthorn.

He added the level of interference was "unprecedented" in the region. "They have made the calculation: what makes them look worse? Being banned together with Zimbabwe and Burma in restricting press freedom or letting us go in there?" he said.

However, the BBC's head of world newsgathering, Jon Williams, was not convinced the Israeli PR machine had any greater effect than normal.

"This is not like the Georgian/Russian conflict where they were putting waves of people forward. The Israeli government has always been smart and smooth about getting its message across. The trick is for us to then get other people in to make it fair and balanced," Williams said.

The Israeli Embassy spokesman said Gaza was now a war zone and Israel was only limiting media access in the way other countries involved in wars, including Britain, had previously done.

"We urge everyone to understand that it is a war zone, that is why we don't allow free access to Gaza," the spokesman added.

"Gaza is not hermetically sealed... there is a direct border between Gaza and Egypt. I wonder whether journalists applied to the Egyptian authorities for access to Gaza?" he said.

Complaints about the Israeli authorities blockade came because Israel was an open-minded, pluralistic and liberal society, he added. "They did not apply to Egypt because they know Egypt would automatically refuse but we don't see similar complaints [against them]."

Tim Butcher, Daily Telegraph Middle East editor, told MediaGuardian.co.uk that the Israelis were unwilling to give the foreign media access as they were seen as a propaganda tool for the other side.

Last week Daniel Seaman, director of Israel's government press office, said any foreign journalists in Gaza would become a "fig leaf and front for the Hamas".

Despite this damning assessment, Butcher added, journalists were powerless to do anything other than wait for access. "There is no other option. You can't just jump the fence, You have to play their games," he said.

David Munk, Guardian deputy editor for international news, said Seaman's comments were outrageous. The Guardian is also using a local stringer to supply stories and information, alongside a variety of sources which includes non-governmental organisations in Gaza and traditional wire services.

"Just because you happen to be in a place that Israel doesn't like you operating doesn't mean we'll be swept along by their [Hamas] propaganda," Munk added. "It is a deeply depressing situation when a country like Israel that prides itself on openness is not providing access to people from outside Gaza to see the full picture."

Richard Beeston, the Times foreign editor, said that given the difficult conditions he had been pleased with the paper's coverage. However, Beeston conceded that his operation had been hampered by the blockade and had placed greater reliance on local stringers to gather information.

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