The Committee to Protect Journalists, in collaboration with Reporters Sans Frontieres, on Thursday issued an open letter from global media and press organisations on Gaza.
The letter was signed by 126 media and press organisations.
“We, the undersigned, call for immediate, independent, and unrestricted international media access to Gaza and for full protection of journalists who continue to report under siege,” said the press organisations in the signed letter.
The Israeli authorities have refused to grant journalists, outside of Gaza, independent access to the Palestinian territory for the past 20 months.
Local journalists, positioned to tell the truth, faced Israeli aggression in terms of displacement and starvation, said the statement.
“To date, nearly 200 journalists have been killed by the Israeli military. Many more have been injured and face constant threats to their lives for doing their jobs: bearing witness. This is a direct attack on press freedom and the right to information,” added the statement.
The statement said that those reporting from war zones, understand the inherent risks in reporting from war zones. “These are risks that many of our organizations have taken over decades in order to investigate, document developments as they occur, and understand the impacts of war,” elaborated the joint statement.
“At this pivotal moment, with renewed military action and efforts to resume the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, it is vital that Israel open Gaza’s borders for international journalists to be able to report freely and that Israel abides by its international obligations to protect journalists as civilians.”
At this pivotal moment, with renewed military action and efforts to resume the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, it is vital that Israel open Gaza’s borders for international journalists to be able to report freely and that Israel abides by its international obligations to protect journalists as civilians, concluded the statement.
The open letter was signed by prominent journalists and media organisations, including Geo News Managing Director Azhar Abbas.
