France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has called on Israel to grant international journalists immediate access to the Gaza Strip, citing the urgent need to “bear witness” to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Speaking to France Inter radio on Tuesday, Barrot stressed that the absence of foreign media from Gaza has obscured the severity of the crisis that has gripped the territory for nearly 21 months since the war began. “I ask that the free and independent press be allowed to access Gaza to show what is happening there and to bear witness,” he said.
His remarks follow growing international concern over conditions in Gaza, where more than two million residents face famine-like shortages of food, water, and medical care. Aid groups, including the UN and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), have warned of a surge in malnutrition and starvation, particularly among children. In the past three days alone, 21 children have reportedly died from hunger, according to the head of Gaza’s Al-Shifa Medical Complex.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) has also raised the alarm about the dire conditions facing its local staff in Gaza. Freelancers still working in the region have reported debilitating hunger and exhaustion, which are severely affecting their ability to report. “We have no energy left due to hunger,” said Omar al-Qattaa, a Pulitzer-nominated AFP photographer. Another contributor, Khadr Al-Zanoun, said he had lost 30 kilograms since the war began.
AFP has already evacuated its full-time staff and families from Gaza but said the situation for freelancers has become “untenable” and urged Israel to allow them safe passage. The agency emphasized that with international journalists barred from entering Gaza since October 7, 2023, local journalists are the only source of information from inside the war zone.
In response, Barrot confirmed that France is working on evacuating some freelancers linked to French media, hoping for progress “in the coming weeks.”
Despite criticism, Israel maintains that its operations target Hamas and that there is no restriction on humanitarian aid such as baby food. However, Barrot sharply criticized the ongoing military campaign, stating there is “no longer any justification” for continued Israeli offensives, which he said only deepen the humanitarian catastrophe and force further civilian displacement.
The European Union’s crisis management commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, echoed the sentiment, urging Israel to uphold press freedom. “Journalists and civilians cannot, and must not, be targets,” she said.
As international pressure mounts, advocates and journalists alike are demanding urgent access and transparency, warning that without foreign media in Gaza, the full extent of human suffering may remain unseen.
Written By Rodney Mbua
