Major global news outlets urge Israel to let independent press into Gaza
Al Jazeera Staff
Over 20 major global news organizations, including BBC, CNN, Reuters and AP, have signed an open letter urging Israel to lift its ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza independently. The editors-in-chief argue that press freedom is essential and that the ceasefire makes independent reporting possible. Israel has not yet responded, while more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
The editors-in-chief of more than two dozen major global news agencies and newspapers — including the BBC, CNN, Reuters and the Associated Press (AP) — issued a joint statement on April 10 calling on the Israeli government to allow foreign journalists to enter the Gaza Strip and report independently.
"Being on the ground is essential. It allows journalists to challenge official accounts from all sides, talk directly to civilians, and report what they see with their own eyes," the editors wrote in the letter. They stressed: "Press freedom is a fundamental value of any open society. The time for delay is over. Let us into Gaza."
As of now, the Israeli government has not officially responded to the request. The ban on foreign reporters entering Gaza has been in place since Israel launched its military campaign there on October 7, 2023. Initially, Israel argued that foreign journalists could disclose the positions of Israeli soldiers on the ground, endangering them. Other reasons cited include the area being an active war zone and too dangerous.
The Israeli military has occasionally brought foreign journalists into Gaza on tightly controlled trips, but news outlets are not allowed to operate independently. The editors' statement noted: "At this point, the most intense fighting is over and a ceasefire is in effect. Journalists are not a threat to Israeli soldiers. There are mechanisms — albeit limited — allowing aid workers to enter the territory. Why not journalists?"
In 2024, the Foreign Press Association (FPA) filed a petition with Israel's Supreme Court demanding independent access to Gaza, but no ruling has yet been delivered.
Many news organizations have repeatedly expressed concern for the safety of Palestinian colleagues, who have been covering the war alone while also being victims of it. "They should not have to shoulder this responsibility alone, and they need protection," the statement said.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), since October 2023 more than 200 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza — a figure far higher than in other conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war. The Gaza Government Media Office reports that at least 262 journalists have been killed in Israeli strikes since the conflict began.
Earlier in April, Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Wishah was killed in an Israeli drone strike while traveling by car on al-Rashid Road, along Gaza City's western coast. Al Jazeera said Wishah's death reflected "a systematic policy of targeting journalists and silencing the voice of truth." He was the 12th Al Jazeera journalist or media worker in Gaza to be killed by Israeli fire since the start of the war.
