AFP calls on Israel to allow evacuation of its journalists from Gaza
AFP, one of the world's largest news services, made the appeal on Tuesday after an association of its journalists warned that their colleagues in Gaza were facing starvation.
'For months, we have watched helplessly as their living conditions deteriorated dramatically,' the Paris-based agency said in a statement.
'Their situation is now untenable, despite their exemplary courage, professional commitment, and resilience.'
While Palestinian freelancers have been crucial to informing the world since Israel banned foreign journalists from Gaza, Israeli authorities must allow their evacuation as 'their lives are in danger', the agency said.
On Monday, the Society of Journalists, an association of AFP journalists that is independent of management, warned that their colleagues in the enclave were at risk of dying of hunger.
'We fear learning of their deaths at any moment, and it is unbearable for us,' the association said in a statement.
'Along with a few others, they are now the only ones reporting on what is happening in the Gaza Strip. International media has been banned from entering this territory for nearly two years. We refuse to watch them die.'
The association highlighted the cases of several journalists, including a 30-year-old photographer, identified as Bashar, who recently posted on social media that his 'body is thin' and he had lost the strength to work.
'Since AFP was founded in August 1944, we have lost journalists in conflicts, we have had injured and imprisoned colleagues among us, but none of us can recall ever seeing a colleague die of hunger,' the association said.
UK charity Oxfam on Tuesday also warned that its staff in Gaza were among those facing starvation.
'At Oxfam, we are not just witnessing this crisis, we are living it,' Bushra Khalidi, policy lead in the occupied Palestinian territory and Gaza, told Al Jazeera.
'My colleague, she told me on Saturday that she went to work without even water, with eating a single falafel just to keep going, and she still showed up to work,' Khalidi said.
The warnings came as Gaza health officials on Tuesday reported that at least 15 Palestinians, including four children, had starved to death over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number of malnutrition deaths since the start of Israel's war to 101.
Israel blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza in March, but has since May allowed a limited amount of supplies through the controversial Israel and United States-backed aid agency GHF.
Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians seeking food aid since the launch of the GHF, which has been boycotted by the United Nations and leading aid agencies, most of them near the group's distribution points, according to the UN Human Rights Office.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
28 minutes ago
- Al Jazeera
Why did the UK say it will recognise a Palestinian state?
UK urges Israel to take substantive steps to end the horror in Gaza and commit to negotiations on a two-state solution. The United Kingdom will recognise Palestinian statehood – unless Israel takes substantive steps to end the horror in Gaza and commits to negotiations on a two-state solution. Israel and the United States have condemned the move. How significant is the UK's decision? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Alan Duncan, former British deputy foreign secretary and a Conservative MP Carne Ross, former British diplomat and former head of Middle East issues at the United Nations Ahmed Najar, Palestinian political analyst and economist from Gaza
Al Jazeera
an hour ago
- Al Jazeera
Trump threatens trade deal after Canada moves towards recognising Palestine
United States President Donald Trump has said it will be difficult to make a trade deal with Canada after it announced that it would back Palestinian statehood, following the examples of the United Kingdom and France amid growing international condemnation of Israel's war on Gaza. 'Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh' Canada!!!' Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday. Canadian Prime Minster Mark Carney's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump's post comes a day after Carney announced that Canada is planning to recognise the State of Palestine at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September if certain conditions are met, following recent announcements by France and the UK. Canada and the US are working on negotiating a trade deal by August 1, the date Trump is threatening to impose a 35 percent tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Carney said on Wednesday that tariff negotiations with Trump's administration have been constructive, but the talks may not conclude by the deadline. Carney said recognising Palestinian statehood was necessary to preserve hopes of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a longstanding Canadian goal that was 'being eroded before our eyes'. The prime minister said the worsening suffering of civilians in Gaza left 'no room for delay in coordinated international action to support peace'. However, Carney caveated the decision by saying that Canada's intention was 'predicated on the Palestinian Authority's commitment to much-needed reforms', referring to the body led by President Mahmoud Abbas, which has civil authority in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Carney added that Abbas would have to 'hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part, and to demilitarise the Palestinian state', if Canada were to go ahead with recognition of this state. Canada following UK, France moves The US has rejected moves to recognise a Palestinian state, saying the policy rewards Hamas. The Trump administration has been uncompromising in its support for Israel, despite accusations by UN experts and rights groups that the US ally is committing a genocide against Palestinians. The Israeli military has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza and flattened most of the territory since the start of the war in 2023. The increased number of Palestinians dying of starvation – now at least 154 people, including 89 children – and the hundreds killed at US- and Israeli-backed aid distribution sites has raised global condemnation of Israel. Trump himself has said that starvation was clearly taking place in Gaza, despite Israeli denials. His Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel on Thursday for ceasefire and aid talks. With Wednesday's announcement, Carney positioned Canada alongside France, after President Emmanuel Macron said his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during the same UN meeting. The Israeli embassy in Ottawa said 'recognising a Palestinian state in the absence of accountable government, functioning institutions, or benevolent leadership, rewards and legitimises the monstrous barbarity of Hamas on October 7, 2023'. The PA's Abbas welcomed the announcement as a 'historic' decision, while France said the countries would work together 'to revive the prospect of peace in the region'. Canada's plan goes a step further than this week's announcement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer said the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various 'substantive steps', including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Carney stressed that Canada has been an unwavering member of the group of nations that hoped a two-state solution 'would be achieved as part of a peace process built around a negotiated settlement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority'. 'Regrettably, this approach is no longer tenable,' Carney said, citing 'Hamas terrorism' and the group's 'longstanding violent rejection of Israel's right to exist', highlighting his attempt to caveat his criticism of Israel's actions with condemnation of Hamas. The peace process has also been eroded by the expansion of Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Carney said. The prime minister said a two-state solution was growing increasingly remote, with a vote in Israel's parliament 'calling for the annexation of the West Bank', as well as Israel's 'ongoing failure' to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. He framed his decision as one aimed at safeguarding Israel's future. 'Any path to lasting peace for Israel also requires a viable and stable Palestinian state, and one that recognises Israel's inalienable right to security and peace,' Carney said.
Al Jazeera
an hour ago
- Al Jazeera
ChatGPT therapy: The Lebanese turning to AI for mental health support
Beirut, Lebanon – By the time Zainab Dhaher and her family fled their southern Lebanese village last September, Israeli shelling had become relentless. They packed what they could and drove 13 hours to Beirut, only to find themselves once again within range of Israeli bombardment. The cycle of displacement repeated. 'We left in a rush. I didn't have time to pack clothes for my children,' the 34-year-old mother of two recalls, her voice cracking during a phone interview. 'We moved from place to place, and no one helped us. No food, no blankets, nothing.' Months after a United States-brokered ceasefire took effect in November, the fear still lingers. Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory have continued despite the truce, repeatedly raising fears of renewed conflict, while Israel remains in control of strategic parts of Lebanon's south. Meanwhile, roughly 90,000 Lebanese people are unable to return home because of continued devastation of their villages, and Israel's continued presence in some of them. Israeli rockets also continue to strike Hezbollah targets, while the group refuses to drop its arms – a key Israeli demand. But for Zainab, a 34-year-old mother of two, the psychological wounds from the devastating war have proven deeper and more persistent than any physical destruction. 'The sound of drones terrifies me. I cry when I hear Ahmad Kaabour's song 'Ya Rayeh Sawb Bladi' [Oh, you who is going to my land] because it reminds me of what we've lost.' Despite the ceasefire, Zainab says she can't sleep. 'I'm constantly afraid something will happen to my children. I don't think this pain will ever go away.' And in the absence of an accessible, functioning mental health system, Zainab – like many others in Lebanon – found herself turning to artificial intelligence (AI), and ChatGPT. A nation in psychological ruin Lebanon has endured a near-constant barrage of crises for years: the 2019 financial collapse that wiped out people's life savings, the devastating Beirut port explosion in 2020, a collapsing public health system, and the Israeli military's latest offensive in the south, which killed almost 4,000 people and displaced tens of thousands. Amid this chaos, the psychological toll on the population is becoming harder to ignore. Mental health professionals warn of a dramatic rise in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and psychosomatic symptoms across the country, especially among those living near the southern border, journalists covering the violence, and humanitarian workers on the ground. But in a country where therapy sessions cost between $40 and $100 – more than many can afford – mental health support remains a luxury. 'There is no national strategy for psychological recovery,' says Dr Randa Baraja, a clinical psychologist at CPRM Clinic in Beirut. 'We're seeing a resurgence of trauma not just from the recent war, but from Lebanon's entire history of violence – civil war, political assassinations, and successive economic collapse. The trauma is collective, and it spans generations.' Baraja notes an uptick in patients using ChatGPT as a kind of emotional crutch. 'We're observing a growing trend, especially among younger people, of turning to AI tools for emotional support,' she says. 'They confide in it, seek comfort, even ask it to diagnose them. It reflects the deep need for someone – or something – that simply listens.' But she warns of the dangers. 'ChatGPT doesn't offer genuine emotional attunement. It cannot replicate the human connection necessary for healing. More dangerously, it can delay access to professional help. People think they're improving, but often they're not.' That was Zainab's experience. After reading a Facebook post recommending mental health 'self-tests' using ChatGPT, she tried one. The bot's response was alarming: It listed PTSD, schizophrenia, and ADHD as potential diagnoses. 'It shook me,' she admits. 'But I couldn't afford therapy. I work at a beauty salon and earn $400 a month. Rent alone is $1,200. Therapy isn't an option for people like me,' she says, referring to the lease of her displacement home. At first, ChatGPT seemed like an outlet. But the more she relied on it, the more frustrated she became. 'Its responses felt hollow. I was getting angrier after every conversation. It felt like shouting into a void.' 'We left the war, but the war didn't leave us' The psychological effects of war are not easily shaken. According to the World Health Organization, one in five people in conflict-affected areas suffers from mental health conditions ranging from mild depression to severe anxiety and psychosis. In Lebanon, the impact is amplified by economic despair. With the Lebanese lira having lost nearly 97 percent of its value since 2019 and poverty rates skyrocketing, families are struggling to cover basic needs, let alone pay for therapy. Public mental health services are scarce, especially in rural and marginalised areas. Sarah Rammal, a 22-year-old fashion entrepreneur from the border town of al-Aadaissah, lost her home and small business when Israeli forces burned them during the war. She now lives in a rented apartment in Beirut, trying to rebuild from scratch. 'I felt like my life had been erased,' she says. 'I started talking to ChatGPT every night just to release the pain.' At first, the routine helped. 'It felt easier than talking to a real person. No judgement.' But over time, it stopped being effective. 'It didn't push me forward. I was just circling the same sadness over and over again.' Eventually, she sought professional help. 'After one session with a therapist, I felt lighter. I still use AI sometimes, but I now realise it's not a substitute.' A quiet mental health crisis Lebanese youth, already dealing with political disillusionment and economic uncertainty, were among the hardest hit by the latest war. Rania, a hotline responder at Embrace, a leading mental health NGO, says the volume of calls from young people has spiked dramatically in recent months. 'Most calls are war-related. They feel hopeless about their futures in this country,' she explains, asking to be referred to by her first name only, since she's not authorised to speak to the press. 'We've also noticed more people talking about using AI as a coping mechanism. It's easy, available, and doesn't cost money. But it's not a real solution.' To counter this, Embrace and Lebanon's Ministry of Health launched a mental health app called Step-by-Step, designed by clinical psychologists. 'It's free, confidential, and tailored to individual needs,' Rania says. 'We always try to redirect people there.' Siba Haidar Ahmed, a master's student in clinical psychology, says many of her classmates and peers have experimented with AI tools during moments of emotional crisis. 'The danger isn't in using ChatGPT once or twice,' she says. 'It's when people mistake it for therapy.' While AI can provide surface-level comfort, its effects are fleeting. 'It can give you motivational quotes or validate your emotions. But once the chat ends, reality hits. That sudden return can deepen feelings of emptiness or hopelessness.' Back in southern Lebanon, as families try to rebuild their damaged or destroyed homes after months of shelling, the psychological recovery remains elusive. Turning to their screens, many hope for comfort and answers in algorithms. Zainab, now back in her village, says she's trying to move forward, but the scars are deep. 'We left the war,' she repeats. 'But the war didn't leave us.' This piece was published in collaboration with Egab.
