France's top diplomat calls for foreign press access to Gaza

PARIS: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday urged Israel to allow foreign press into the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza, as warnings of famine mount after 21 months of war.

“I ask that the free and independent press be allowed to access Gaza to show what is happening there and to bear witness,” he told France Inter radio in an interview from eastern Ukraine.

He spoke after the AFP news agency warned that the lives of Palestinian freelance journalists it was working with in Gaza were in danger and urged Israel to allow them and their families to leave the occupied coastal territory.

Asked if France would help evacuate these stringers, Barrot said France was “addressing the issue”.

“We hope to be able to evacuate some collaborators of journalists in the coming weeks,” he said.

On Monday, a group of journalists at AFP called the Societe des Journalistes (Society of Journalists) sounded the alarm, urging “immediate intervention” to help reporters working with the agency in Gaza.

The SDJ cited the example of one such freelancer, a 30-year-old living with his family in Gaza city, who reported on Sunday that his older brother “fell because of hunger”.

AFP responded in a statement posted on X and Instagram.

“Since October 7, Israel has prohibited access to the Gaza Strip for all international journalists.

“In this context, the work of our Palestinian freelancers is crucial to inform the world,” it said.

“But their lives are in danger, which is why we urge the Israeli authorities to allow their immediate evacuation along with their families.”

AFP evacuated its eight staff members and families from Gaza between January and April 2024.

Barrot urged an “immediate ceasefire” after Israel on Monday expanded military operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah.

“There is no longer any justification for the Israeli army’s military operations in Gaza,” he said.

“This is an offensive that will exacerbate an already catastrophic situation and cause new forced displacements of populations, which we condemn in the strongest terms.”