International news agencies have renewed calls for Israel to allow journalists into and out of Gaza as conditions worsen.
Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, reporters have only been able to enter Gaza under Israeli military escort and with strict rules on their reporting.
With Gaza sealed off, global news outlets rely heavily on local Palestinian journalists for photo, video and text reporting.
Reporters Without Borders, Agence France-Presse (AFP),The Associated Press (AP), Reuters and the BBC said Thursday they are “desperately concerned” for their , who are struggling to find enough food for themselves and their families.
In a joint statement, the organizations said journalists are used to facing hardship in conflict zones, but the threat of starvation has now become a grave concern.
“For many months, these independent journalists have been the world’s eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza,” the statement said. “They are now facing the same dire circumstances as those they are covering.”
“We once again urge the Israeli authorities to allow journalists in and out of Gaza. It is essential that adequate food supplies reach the people there,” the statement added.
said in early July that more than 200 journalists had been killed in Gaza since the conflict began.
Earlier this week, AFP said it was alarmed by “the appalling situation” facing its staff. It said the conditions were now so dire that they were increasingly unable to work.
Israel has said it remains committed to allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza but insists on maintaining strict controls to prevent supplies from being diverted by militants. Israel cut off all supplies to Gaza at the start of March and reopened access under tighter restrictions in May.
The post Middle East: France to formally recognize Palestinian state appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
