Enlarge By Ismail Zaydah, Reuters A wounded Palestinian is carried near a United Nations school in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip. ISRAEL BARS MEDIA ISRAEL BARS MEDIA Foreign journalists weren't able to report from the scene of Tuesday's shelling of a United Nations school because Israel has blocked their access to Gaza since the war began. The Israeli army, which controls checkpoints into Gaza, has allowed aid workers and some other foreigners into the Palestinian territory, but has denied entry to reporters from USA TODAY and other news media. Israel's decision follows its war in Lebanon in 2006, when global outrage over televised images of civilian casualties contributed to Israel halting its offensive against Hezbollah militants. Daniel Seaman, director of Israel's Government Press Office, told the Associated Press that the absence of foreign journalists was good for Israel because the Hamas militants who rule Gaza fabricate events. In a statement, the Foreign Press Association said "the unprecedented denial of access to Gaza for the world's media amounts to a severe violation of press freedom and puts the state of Israel in the company of a handful of regimes around the world which regularly keep journalists from doing their jobs." John Daniszewski, the AP's managing editor for international news, said that "all sides in this conflict should respect the value of a free and independent press and permit access to this critically important story." USA TODAY has relied on phone interviews with Gaza residents and on wire agencies including the AP that employ Palestinian journalists in Gaza. JERUSALEM  International pressure for a cease-fire in Gaza mounted Tuesday after three Israeli artillery shells landed near a girls school Palestinian civilians were using as a shelter, killing at least 30 people. Several children were among the dead in one of the bloodiest incidents involving civilians since Israel began its offensive against Hamas militants Dec. 27. In addition to the fatalities, 55 people were injured, according to Chris Gunness, a spokesman in Jerusalem for the United Nations agency that runs the school. GLOBAL PLEAS: Pope calls on both sides to start talks MORE ON TENSIONS: Sarkozy calls for end to Mideast fighting The Israeli military said in a statement that an initial investigation showed its soldiers came under mortar fire from militants hiding within the school. The Israeli soldiers returned fire with their own mortar rounds, killing two Hamas militants, the statement said. The school was not in session at the time, but it was occupied by hundreds of civilians seeking refuge from the war. "Hamas has once again cynically chosen to use civilian sites from which to operate, thus endangering the safety of innocent civilians," said Jonathan Peled, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington. "Israel regrets the loss of any innocent civilian lives," he said. Hours after the incident, Egypt, backed by France and other European powers, proposed an immediate cease-fire. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the initiative at a joint news conference. There was no immediate response from Israel or from Hamas. The scope of the offensive makes avoiding civilian casualties difficult. Israeli forces use air and artillery strikes in coordination with armor and infantry in Gaza, a small but densely populated region of about 1.5 million Palestinians. Nearly 600 people have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, according to the United Nations. Four Israeli soldiers were killed during two separate "friendly fire" accidents since ground forces entered the territory Saturday night. Hamas has continued to fire rockets into Israeli cities and towns. Israel announced late Tuesday that it would create a "humanitarian corridor" to provide assistance to Gaza residents suffering from shortages of water, electricity and food. James Phillips, a Middle East analyst at the Heritage Foundation, said Israel will probably continue to resist international pressure while it attempts to carry out its military objectives. "Israel anticipated international pressure when it went into Gaza," Phillips said. The fighting has sparked outrage in much of the Arab world. In an audiotape on Islamist websites, al-Qaeda's No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, urged Muslims to strike Western and Israeli targets throughout the world. Visiting European Union Commissioner Benita Ferraro-Waldner told Israeli leaders that "Israel's image is being destroyed." Israeli President Shimon Peres responded by saying Israel was fighting a defensive war. Yaakov Amidror, a retired Israeli major general, said Israel needs more time to methodically clear militants from densely populated areas. "Now it is a race between military pressure and political pressure," he said. Contributing: Daniel Estrin, wire services Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more