130 media require free access for journalists to Gaza: an outcry!
130 media require free access for journalists to Gaza: an outcry!
More than 130 media and press freedom organizations have started an urgent call for free access for journalists to Gaza. This call, initiated by "Reporter Without Borders" and the "Committee to Protect Journalists", indicates the serious dangers to which Palestinian media professionals are exposed. The number is particularly alarming: In the past 20 months, almost 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed by the Israeli army, including 45 in direct connection with their professional activity, reports the LVZ .
The signatories of the call, including renowned media such as AFP, AP, BBC and "Haaretz", emphasize the need to ensure the protection of Palestinian media professionals. Only the German "taz" has also known for the demands. Anja Osterhaus, managing director of "Reporter Without Borders", expresses concern that the media blockade is a strategy to disguise information and isolate the Palestinian press.
difficult reporting under extreme conditions
The reporting in the Gaza Strip is carried out under extreme conditions. Especially in the north of the area, where the offensive of Israel runs more intensely, journalists are confronted with challenges that are tightened by electricity and internet failures. According to Reporter without limits, the information situation is tense and reliable reports from the region take from.
An anonymous journalist reports on the dramatic consequences of an air raid in Beit Lahya, where 93 people were killed. Beit Lahya was declared a disaster on October 30, 2023. Journalists in northern Gazas often have little resources and fight particularly with weak internet access. The high gasoline prices also restrict their mobility.
The media landscape is still shaped by great dangers. Four Al Jazera journalists have been killed since the beginning of the conflict, and over 140 media professionals have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including at least 34 during their work. While some journalists are forced to report from afar, Khader al-Zaanoun documents the current events in Gaza city via social networks.
freedom of the press in global context
The restrictions on freedom of the press are not limited to Gaza. The freedom of the press has come under pressure on the global scale. The US government excluded the Associated Press news agency from important press conferences, and the relationships between the White House and the media have deteriorated, such as DW reported. Historical definitions describe press freedom as protection against abuse of power, a task that is becoming increasingly pressing the more autocratic regime try to suppress independent media.
"Reporter Without Borders" documents the attacks on journalists and the conditions under which they work every year. The numbers are alarming: 2024 was the deadliest year for journalists with 85 deaths in the war in Gaza. The increasing pressure on media professionals worldwide shows the need for a strong and independent press that can provide information unhindered.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Beit Lahya, Gazastreifen, Palästina |
| Quellen | |