logo
AFP warns Gaza journalists risk starving to death amid ongoing Israeli siege

AFP warns Gaza journalists risk starving to death amid ongoing Israeli siege

Middle East Eye5 days ago
The AFP journalists' union has warned that its colleagues working in Gaza are facing death from starvation, as a result of Israel's blockade on the besieged Palestinian territory.
Famine caused by Israel's war and blockade on Gaza is spreading across the region, with a growing number of deaths due to malnutrition and dehydration reported in recent days.
"We have lost journalists in conflicts, we have had wounded and imprisoned in our ranks, but none of us remembers seeing a colleague die of hunger," the union, SDJ (Society of Journalists), said in a statement on Monday.
Following the union's statement, AFP management said it "shares the anguish expressed by the SDJ regarding the appalling situation of its staff" and urged Israel to allow their evacuation.
"For months, we have been helplessly witnessing the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions. Their situation is now untenable, despite exemplary courage, professional commitment and resilience," an AFP statement said on Monday.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
The AFP has ten Palestinian photographers and reporters working in the enclave.
One includes a reporter named Bashar, who on Saturday wrote on his Facebook account: "I don't have the power to cover media anymore. My body is lean and I no longer have the ability to walk."
On Sunday, he shared an update, in which he wrote: "For the first time, I feel defeated."
He appealed to his colleagues for help: "I wish Mr Macron could help me get out of this hell."
"Bashar has been living since February in the ruins of his home in Gaza City with his mother, his four siblings and the family of one of his brothers," the SDJ said, adding that one brother had died from hunger.
Another journalist mentioned in the statement, Ahlam, is in the south of the enclave where she says she is determined to "bear witness" for as long as possible.
"Every time I leave the tent to cover an event, conduct an interview or document a fact, I don't know if I'll come back alive," the SDJ quoted her as saying.
Fifteen more Palestinians die from starvation amid Israeli-imposed famine Read More »
The biggest problem, she said, is the lack of food and water.
Despite the monthly salary AFP pays its journalists in Gaza, they cannot buy anything due to exorbitant prices and shortages.
Reporters also travel "on foot or by donkey cart", due to a lack of cars and gasoline, and to avoid being targeted by Israeli strikes.
"We see their situation worsening. They are young and their strength is leaving them. Most no longer have the physical ability to travel the enclave to do their job. Their heartbreaking cries for help are now daily," the SDJ said, adding: "We refuse to see them die."
The AFP has urged Israeli authorities to allow the immediate evacuation of their reporters along with their families.
"Since 7 October, 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."
Between January and April 2024, the AFP has helped evacuate eight of its staff and their families and is now taking the same steps for its freelancers.
France asks Israel to allow foreign press into Gaza
Following the statements by the AFP and its workers' union, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called on Israel to allow the foreign press into Gaza.
"I ask that the free and independent press be allowed to access Gaza to show what is happening there and to bear witness," Barrot told France's Inter radio station on Tuesday.
The minister said France hoped to be able to evacuate freelancers working with French journalists "in the coming weeks".
Israel bombards Gaza's Deir al-Balah as 18 die from starvation Read More »
He also called for an "immediate ceasefire" after Israel expanded military operations to the central city of Deir al-Balah on Monday.
"There is no longer any justification for the Israeli army's military operations in Gaza," Barrot 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."
On Monday, a group of 25 countries, including France and the United Kingdom, called on Israel to end its 21-month war on Gaza and said the suffering of ordinary Palestinians had "reached new depths".
"We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," the countries said in a joint statement.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump ally says Israeli military will 'take Gaza down like we did Tokyo and Berlin'
Trump ally says Israeli military will 'take Gaza down like we did Tokyo and Berlin'

The National

time12 minutes ago

  • The National

Trump ally says Israeli military will 'take Gaza down like we did Tokyo and Berlin'

US Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday that Israel is preparing to intensify its military campaign in Gaza, comparing the strategy to Allied operations on Tokyo and Berlin at the end of Second World War. 'What we're talking about today is a change in strategy. I think President (Donald) Trump has come to believe, and I certainly come to believe there's no way you're going to negotiate an end of this war with Hamas,' Mr Graham told NBC in an interview. 'Hamas is a terrorist organisation who is chartered to destroy the State of Israel. They're religious Nazis. They hold Israeli hostages.' Mr Graham, from South Carolina, said that Israel has concluded that dismantling Hamas is the only way to ensure its security. 'If they're going to do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin – take the place by force, then start over again, presenting a better future for the Palestinians, hopefully having the Arabs take over the West Bank and Gaza,' he said. 'I think going forward … you're going to see a change in tactics, a full military effort by Israel to take Gaza down,' he said. On Thursday, Mr Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Hamas' latest response to ceasefire proposals showed a 'lack of desire' to reach a truce. Mr Witkoff said Washington will look at 'alternative options,' without elaborating. Mr Trump told reporters on Sunday that Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, adding that he did not know what would happen after moves by Israel to pull out of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with the Hamas militant group. Mr Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying they had suddenly 'hardened' up on the issue. 'They don't want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,' he said the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland.

Saudi forces arrest pilgrim for raising Palestinian flag in Mecca
Saudi forces arrest pilgrim for raising Palestinian flag in Mecca

Middle East Eye

timean hour ago

  • Middle East Eye

Saudi forces arrest pilgrim for raising Palestinian flag in Mecca

Saudi security forces arrested an Egyptian pilgrim at the Grand Mosque in Mecca after he raised the Palestinian flag beside the Kaaba and called for an end to Gaza's siege and starvation. The actions by the Saudi authorities has triggered widespread condemnation. Footage shared online shows the man crying out 'Wa Islamah!', a phrase used historically to express anguish when Islam or Muslims are under threat, as he pleads for urgent intervention to help Gaza's starving population. The emotional scene, captured and circulated on social media, shows the pilgrim saying 'the children of Gaza are dying. O Muslims!'. Seconds later, Saudi officers appear and detain him inside the mosque. The incident has reignited debate over Saudi Arabia's strict bans on political expression at Islam's holiest sites. Authorities prohibit all slogans and symbols, including national flags, during Hajj and Umrah, arguing such measures protect the sanctity of worship. However, critics accuse the kingdom of using these restrictions to stifle support for Palestine and suppress expressions of Muslim solidarity. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In 2023, a British pilgrim was detained for wearing a white keffiyeh and a Palestinian-coloured prayer bead. Beyond Mecca, Saudi authorities have reportedly launched a broader crackdown on citizens who criticise Israel or voice solidarity with Gaza online. Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman rose to power in 2017, rights groups have documented a surge in arrests linked to peaceful speech, particularly posts viewed as critical of the kingdom's foreign policy or regional alliances. As Israel's war on Gaza continues, the arrest in Mecca has deepened concerns that public support for Palestine is being criminalised in Saudi Arabia.

Aid trucks move from Egypt to Gaza after Israel said it began airdrops
Aid trucks move from Egypt to Gaza after Israel said it began airdrops

Dubai Eye

timean hour ago

  • Dubai Eye

Aid trucks move from Egypt to Gaza after Israel said it began airdrops

Aid trucks started moving towards Gaza from Egypt, Al Qahera News TV said on Sunday, after months of international pressure and warnings from relief agencies about starvation spreading in the Palestinian enclave. Israel said that it began aid airdrops to Gaza on Saturday and was taking several other steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Israeli military said "humanitarian corridors" would be established for safe movement of United Nations convoys delivering aid to Gazans and that "humanitarian pauses" would be implemented in densely populated areas. Dozens of trucks carrying tonnes of humanitarian aid moved towards the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing in southern Gaza, the Al Qahera correspondent said from the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza. International aid organisations say there is mass hunger among Gaza's 2.2 million people, with food running out after Israel cut off all supplies to the territory in March, before resuming it in May with new restrictions. Israel says it has let enough food into Gaza and accuses the United Nations of failing to distribute it. The United Nations says it is operating as effectively as possible under Israeli restrictions. Israel's announcement on airdrops came after indirect ceasefire talks in Doha between Israel and Hamas were broken off with no deal in sight. The Israeli military said in a statement that the airdrops would be conducted in coordination with international aid organisations and would include seven pallets of aid containing flour, sugar and canned food. Palestinian sources confirmed that aid had begun dropping in northern Gaza. Israel's foreign ministry said the military would "apply a 'humanitarian pause' in civilian centres and in humanitarian corridors" on Sunday morning. "The IDF emphasizes that there is no starvation in the Gaza Strip; this is a false campaign promoted by Hamas," the Israeli military said in its Saturday statement. "Responsibility for food distribution to the population in Gaza lies with the UN and international aid organisations. Therefore, the UN and international organisations are expected to improve the effectiveness of aid distribution and to ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas." AID SHIP INTERCEPTED The Israeli military stressed that despite the humanitarian steps, "combat operations have not ceased" in the Gaza Strip. Separately, international activists on an aid ship that set sail from Italy en route to Gaza said in a post on X that the vessel had been intercepted. The Israeli foreign ministry said on X that naval forces "stopped the vessel from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza," that it was being taken to Israeli shores and all passengers were safe. The UN said on Thursday that pauses in Gaza would allow "the scale up of humanitarian assistance" and said Israel had not provided enough route alternatives for its convoys hindering aid access.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store