British media reported on Wednesday that more than 50 journalists from the UK sent a message to the Israeli and Egyptian embassies demanding unrestricted access for foreign media to Gaza. According to the British media, around 55 journalists from various major UK agencies and broadcasting bodies urged in their message for better protection for journalists in the Gaza Strip.
According to a report by the French news agency, the message stated: "We urge the governments of Israel and Egypt to allow free and unrestricted access to Gaza for all foreign media." The letter also called for Israel to issue an official announcement permitting international journalists to operate in Gaza and for Egyptian authorities to allow international journalists access to the Rafah border crossing.
The message highlighted that "there is significant global interest in the events in Gaza, while the only coverage there comes from Palestinian journalists based in the Gaza Strip, with no other sources." It added, "It is important to respect the safety of local journalists and to enhance their efforts through the journalistic work carried out by international media workers; there is an urgent need for comprehensive on-the-ground coverage of the conflict."
Among the signatories of the letter are Alex Crawford from Sky News, Jeremy Bowen from the BBC, and Christiane Amanpour from CNN. It is worth noting that some international journalists received invitations to participate in tours organized by the Israeli army inside Gaza, but they were prohibited from speaking to Palestinians on-site. Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip face various forms of torture, mistreatment, and deliberate targeting by Israeli forces, resulting in injuries and deaths among many of them.
