The spokesperson for the Quai d’Orsay recalls that since the start of the conflict, some 200 journalists have been killed in Israeli strikes.
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France deplores, Tuesday, August 11, the “Heavy price paid by journalists” premises in Gaza, and calls the Israeli authorities “To guarantee safe and unhindered access” to the Gaza Strip in the international press. Journalists around the world “must be able to operate free and independently to document the reality of the conflict”underlines Pascal CONFAVREUX, deputy spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Condemning the Israeli strike that caused death, “In the exercise of their information mission”of a team of journalists from the Al Jazeera news channel in the Gaza Strip, on the night of Sunday to Monday, the spokesman recalls that since the start of the conflict, some 200 journalists have been killed in Israeli strikes. One of the victims, Anas Al-Sharif, reporter of Al Jazeera, whom Israel said he had targeted by calling him as “terrorist”was a figure of the correspondents covering the conflict in Gaza daily.
Since the start of the war against Hamas in Gaza, in retaliation for the bloody attack of October 7, 2023, the international press is not authorized to work freely in the Palestinian territory. Only a few media, handpicked, entered on board the Israeli army, their reports being subject to strict military censorship. The international press works based on local journalists and correspondents, who paid a heavy price for the conflict: almost 200 were killed in twenty months by the Israeli army, including at least 45 in the exercise of their profession, according to reporters without border.
“France reiterates its commitment to press freedom, freedom of expression and the protection of journalists and media professionals”continues the spokesperson. “Journalists should never be targeted”he said, recalling that they are protected by international humanitarian law, in the same way as all civilians.
