Some of the world’s biggest news outlets, including BBC News, have joined forces to voice concern over the desperate plight of journalists in Gaza, warning they are “increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families”.
Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Associated Press, BBC News and Reuters said they were “desperately concerned” about the journalists in Gaza after widespread warnings of mass starvation.
With international reporters barred by Israel from entering the strip, Palestinian journalists have been the only ones able to report from the ground in the war zone.
“We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families,” the news outlets said in a rare joint statement.
“For many months, these independent journalists have been the world’s eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza. They are now facing the same dire circumstances as those they are covering.
“Journalists endure many deprivations and hardships in war zones. We are deeply alarmed that the threat of starvation is now one of them. 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.”
News agencies have been pleading for months with Israeli authorities to allow journalists freer movement to and from Gaza, but those requests have become more desperate in recent weeks after concern over the physical condition of some of those who had been trying to cover the conflict.
This week, AFP asked Israel to allow the immediate evacuation of its freelance contributors and their families from the strip. It followed its warning that those contributors were struggling to work because of the threat of starvation.
Freelance journalists working for international outlets have warned that hunger and a lack of clean water were leading to illness and exhaustion.
A group of journalists working at AFP said this week that “without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die”.
The Society of Journalists at AFP said: “We have lost journalists in conflicts: some have been injured; others taken prisoner. But none of us can ever remember seeing colleagues die of hunger.”
A photographer working for AFP sent a message on social media at the weekend stating: “I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can’t work any more.”
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