BBC News, alongside leading news agencies Agence France-Presse (AFP), Associated Press (AP), and Reuters, issued a joint statement expressing grave concern for journalists in Gaza, who are struggling to feed themselves and their families amid dire conditions.
The statement highlighted that these local journalists, serving as “the world’s eyes and ears” in Gaza for months, now face starvation and the same hardships as the people they report on. It noted that Israel bars foreign media, including BBC News, from entering Gaza, making international outlets dependent on local reporters.
The statement read: “We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families. They endure many deprivations in warzones, and we are deeply alarmed that starvation is now among them. We urge Israeli authorities to allow journalists in and out of Gaza and ensure adequate food supplies reach the population.”
This follows warnings from over 100 aid organizations and human rights groups about mass starvation in Gaza. Separately, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Save the Children, and Oxfam reported that their staff and the communities they serve are “wasting away.”
Israel, which controls aid entry into Gaza, has accused these charities of “serving the propaganda of Hamas.”