Brief: European Parliament members are calling on the EU to demand Israel grant international journalists access to Gaza amid ongoing military operations.

Members of the European Parliament have called on the European Union to pressure Israel to allow greater media access to Gaza, according to reports from Turkish state media outlet Anadolu Agency.

The move represents the latest attempt by European officials to influence Israel's security policies in Gaza, where the IDF continues operations against Hamas following the terror organization's October 7 massacre that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw over 240 taken hostage.

Israel has maintained security restrictions on Gaza access, citing ongoing military operations and concerns for the safety of both civilians and journalists in an active combat zone. The IDF has facilitated embedded press access and coordinated visits for international media under controlled circumstances, arguing that unrestricted access could compromise operational security and endanger lives.

The European Parliament's non-binding resolution comes as EU institutions have increasingly sought to intervene in Israel's conduct of military operations against Hamas. Israeli officials have consistently rejected external attempts to dictate security procedures, maintaining that such decisions fall under Israel's sovereign right to protect its citizens and armed forces.

Critics of the EU position note that Hamas continues to hold hostages and operates from civilian areas throughout Gaza, making unrestricted media access a complex security challenge. Israeli government sources have pointed out that international journalists have been able to report from Gaza through various channels, including Palestinian stringers and coordinated IDF-facilitated visits.

The resolution reflects broader tensions between Israel and European institutions over the Gaza campaign. While the EU officially recognizes Israel's right to self-defense, individual member states and EU parliamentary bodies have varied widely in their positions, with some calling for arms embargoes and others maintaining strong support for Israel's security needs.

Israel has historically been skeptical of EU involvement in Israeli-Palestinian matters, citing what Jerusalem views as a persistent bias in European institutions. The European Parliament has no direct authority to compel EU foreign policy action, though its resolutions can influence the bloc's diplomatic posture toward Israel and regional affairs.