Over 100 journalists demand 'immediate and unsupervised' foreign media access into Gaza

More than 100 journalists, photographers and war correspondents have signed a petition demanding "immediate and unsupervised foreign press access to the Gaza Strip".

The petition is signed by leading journalists working for global news organisations. It is part of the Freedom To Report initiative, which was started by award-winning photographer Andre Liohn.

Signatories include Sky News' special correspondent Alex Crawford, broadcaster Mehdi Hasan, CNN's Christiane Amanpour and chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward, as well as iconic war photographer Don McCullin. They are renewing calls for both Israel and Hamas to allow foreign journalists into Gaza to report independently on the war, something they have been barred from doing since the start of the latest conflict in 2023.

The petition goes further to say if "belligerent parties" ignore the appeal, media professionals will be supported to enter Gaza without consent "by any legitimate means, independently, collectively, or in coordination with humanitarian or civil society actors". It states: "Unrestricted, independent access for foreign journalists is urgently needed, not only to document the unfolding atrocities but to ensure that the truth of this war is not dictated by those who control the weapons and the narrative.

"Gaza is the most urgent case, but it is not the only one. It reflects the gravest pattern of silencing journalists and restricting the press.

If the democratic world truly intends to push back against this erosion of freedom, it must not turn a blind eye to Gaza. "Defending press access there is defending press freedom everywhere." Read more:Israel's block on international journalists in Gaza should not be allowed to standOur mission as journalists is to tell the full story, denied access to Gaza we cannot do that Sky News along with other global news organisations has relied on Palestinian journalists, local reporters and humanitarian workers to provide details of what is going on inside Gaza.

Despite the brave and crucial work these people do, the Freedom To Report initiative says nearly 200 mostly Palestinian journalists have been killed, making the Israel-Hamas war "the deadliest conflict for the press ever recorded". Last month, the Associated Press, AFP, BBC News and Reuters issued a joint statement saying journalists are also struggling to feed themselves and their families while working on behalf of their organisations in Gaza.

It came after the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Gaza is suffering "man-made mass starvation" because of an Israeli blockade on aid to the enclave. As well as immediate authorisation for foreign journalists to access Gaza, the Freedom To Report petition calls for respect for journalist's protected status under international law and for the support of governments and press freedom organisations..