LONDON: The Times and several major international news outlets renewed calls over the weekend for Israel to lift its ban on journalist access and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, amid mounting concerns over the enclave’s deepening hunger crisis.
“Reporting from any conflict zone is a risky and brave pursuit that ultimately performs a global public service,” Philip Pan, the international editor of The Times, said in a statement on Sunday. “Adding the threat of food deprivation and even starvation to these risks is deeply concerning.”
Humanitarian organizations and global leaders have warned of Gaza’s escalating food crisis, which has led to dozens of hunger-related deaths in recent weeks.
Local Palestinian journalists, who have been reporting tirelessly since the conflict escalated 21 months ago, are also being affected by severe food shortages. Pan noted that Times reporters in Gaza “face difficulty finding food and ensuring safe freedom of movement in order to do their jobs.”
Last week, AFP, Reuters, AP, and the BBC issued a joint statement warning that their journalists in Gaza are at risk of starvation. The statement urged Israel to allow journalists to freely enter and exit the enclave and to ensure adequate food supplies are delivered.
