The ban imposed by Hamas on Palestinian journalists in Gaza from co-operating with the Israeli media has outraged an international press freedom watchdog.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) registered its shock at last week's order in a critical statement calling for it to be lifted:
"This is the first time the Palestinian authorities have issued such a ban, which poses a serious threat to freedom of information.
It will also create problems for the not insignificant number of Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip who work for Israeli TV stations and newspapers. We urge the Hamas government to rescind this order."
As The Guardian reported, the Hamas government in Gaza issued its ban on journalists co-operating or working with Israel's media due to its "hostility." It said "offenders will be prosecuted."
The prohibition affects the correspondents of Israeli papers, such as Ma'ariv, and could be extended to the international media. It has already introduced a system of permits to restrict entry by foreign journalists.
Sources: The Guardian/RSF
