Israel will open a border crossing with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Friday to foreign journalists, a spokesman told Xinhua Thursday on the phone Thursday.

According to the spokesman from Coordination and Liaison Administration for the Gaza Strip, Israel will lift restrictions on allowing foreign journalists into the Palestinian coastal enclave, and from Friday, foreign journalists will be allowed into Gaza through the Erez border crossing.

Since November, 2008, Israel has restricted foreign journalists into Gaza. After Israeli army launched the Cast Lead Operation in Gaza on Dec. 27, the Jewish state further tightened the ban.

The restriction drew many complaints from foreign journalists. The Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents foreign media in Israel and the Gaza strip, filed a court challenge, blaming Israel for restricting freedom of the press and demanding that the Gaza Strip be permanently opened for coverage.

On Jan. 18, eight FPA journalists were allowed into Gaza from the Erez crossing, hours after both Israel and Hamas declared a ceasefire.

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2009)