Paris (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday urged Israel to permit international press into the besieged Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip, as warnings of famine grow after 21 months of bloody conflict. His remarks came after the AFP news agency cautioned that the lives of Palestinian freelance reporters it was operating with in Gaza were in trouble and urged Israel to authorize them and their relatives to flee the occupied coastal region.
“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 reporters.
Asked if Paris would enable evacuating these stringers, Barrot stated France was “addressing the issue”.
“We hope to be able to evacuate some collaborators of journalists in the coming weeks,”
He said.
Moreover, he urged an “immediate ceasefire” after Israel on Monday extended 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.”
What risks do Palestinian journalists in Gaza face?
On Monday, AFP journalists forming the Societe des Journalistes raised the alarm, calling for “immediate intervention” to support the agency’s reporters in Gaza. The SDJ quoted the instance 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”.
“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 stated.
“But their lives are in danger, which is why we urge the Israeli authorities to allow their immediate evacuation along with their families.”
AFP vacated its eight staff members along with their families from Gaza between January and April 2024.
How is the hunger crisis escalating across Gaza?
An acute hunger crisis in Gaza currently has one of the highest hunger crises in the world. It has rapidly deteriorated due to the blockade preventing food, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance. Approximately 2.1 million people face chronic food inadequacy, with roughly half a million in a catastrophic condition of CI (chronic inadequacy), hunger and extreme malnourishment, starvation, disease, and death.
Three-quarters of Gaza’s population is experiencing food insecurity at the “Emergency” or “Catastrophic” levels under the integrated phases of food security classification (IPC).
Tens of thousands of children are experiencing the tragedy of severe acute malnourishment, with many dying from lack of food and deteriorating medical treatment. In 2025 alone, dozens of children have perished from lack of food or malnutrition problems, including four-year-old Razan Abu Zaher (a 4 year girl who succumbed to malnourishment).
