PARIS : France’s foreign minister urged Israel on Tuesday to allow international journalists into the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza to “bear witness” to the situation after 21 months of war.The United Nations and human rights groups say Gaza and its population of more than two million people face famine-like conditions, with near-daily deaths of people queueing for food aid.
“I ask that the free and independent press be allowed to access Gaza to show what is happening there and to bear witness,” Barrot told France Inter radio.Jean-Noel Barrot spoke after the AFP news agency said it was concerned about “the appalling situation of its staff in the Gaza Strip”, warning that the lives of its freelancers were in danger and urging Israel to allow them and their families to leave the occupied coastal territory.
Asked if France would help these journalists leave Gaza, Barrot said that France was “addressing the issue” and hoped to be able to evacuate some freelancers working with French journalists “in the coming weeks”.Israel accuses Hamas of exploiting civilian suffering in the war, which started after the Palestinian militant group carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel’s foreign ministry on Monday accused Hamas of “deliberately acting to increase friction and harm to civilians who come to receive humanitarian aid”.
It was responding after Britain, France, Australia, Canada and 21 other countries on Monday said that the war “must end now”, as the “suffering of civilians in Gaza” had “reached new depths”.