Historic Statement Raises Pressure on Israel Amid Mounting War Deaths. (Image Creditis: Al Jazeera)
In a rare show of unity, 27 countries including the UK, France, Germany, Australia, and Japan have called on Israel to allow immediate independent foreign media access into Gaza. The joint declaration, released under the Media Freedom Coalition, comes as the war nears its two-year mark, with journalists facing unprecedented danger.
The statement, the first joint appeal of its kind, condemned ongoing restrictions on media access. It described the situation in Gaza as an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe” and rejected Israel’s long-standing policy of barring international journalists from independently entering the strip.
“Deliberate targeting of journalists is unacceptable,” the coalition stressed, urging full investigations and prosecutions for attacks against reporters.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 192 journalists and media workers, mostly Palestinian, have been killed since the war began in October 2023, making it the deadliest conflict for reporters in history.
The recent killing of four Al Jazeera journalists near Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital highlighted the risks. Among the victims was well-known correspondent Anas al-Sharif, who the Israeli military accused of leading a Hamas “terrorist cell.” Al Jazeera has strongly denied the claim, while the CPJ noted Israel has failed to present credible evidence.
Israel’s High Court upheld restrictions on international press entry last year, citing security grounds. However, the Foreign Press Association has challenged the ban, calling it an “unprecedented restriction” that prevents independent reporting.
Due to restrictions on foreign media, local Palestinian journalists are now the only source of information about Gaza; they frequently report while dealing with communications outages, famine, and bombardment.
Global aid agencies warn that Gaza is on the brink of famine. The BBC, Reuters, AFP, and AP jointly expressed “desperate concern” last month, saying many journalists and their families are unable to access food.
Despite these warnings, Israel has accused aid groups of “serving Hamas propaganda.” Yet, its own figures reveal that food shipments into Gaza between March and July fell well below World Food Programme (WFP) requirements.
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Tensions escalated after Israel announced the first stages of a ground offensive in Gaza City, following the collapse of ceasefire and hostage release negotiations with Hamas.
The war began after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 62,122 deaths, figures widely cited by the UN as the most reliable in absence of independent verification.
As international pressure mounts, Israel faces renewed scrutiny over its handling of both press freedom and humanitarian access. Whether the coalition’s statement translates into action remains uncertain, but it underscores growing unease among allies who have historically backed Israel’s security stance.
