AFP journalists issue unprecedented plea to save Gaza team from starvation
In a historic and urgent plea, AFP's Société des Journalistes (SDJ) has issued a statement warning that their freelance reporters in Gaza are facing imminent death from starvation and exhaustion. The statement, released on July 21, 2025, marks the first time in the agency's 80-year history that such a humanitarian alert has been issued on behalf of its own journalists.
'Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die,' the statement opened.
Since the withdrawal of AFP staff journalists from Gaza in 2024, the agency has relied on a team of freelancers - one text reporter, three photographers, and six video journalists - to report from inside the besieged territory.
'Along with a few others, they are now the only ones reporting what is happening in the Gaza Strip. The international press has been banned from entering this territory for almost two years,' the statement noted. 'We refuse to see them die.'
The statement draws particular attention to Bashar, a 30-year-old photojournalist who has worked with AFP since 2010. 'On Saturday 19 July, he posted a message on Facebook: 'I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can't work any more'.'
Bashar lives with his family in the ruins of their home in Gaza City, moving between camps in search of safety. 'On Sunday morning, he reported that his eldest brother had 'fallen, because of hunger'.'
Though these journalists receive monthly payments from AFP, the economic collapse inside Gaza has rendered salaries nearly useless. 'Even if these journalists receive a monthly salary from AFP, there is nothing to buy, or else at totally exorbitant prices. The banking system has disappeared, and those who exchange money between online bank accounts and cash take a commission of almost 40%.'
Transport has become nearly impossible and extremely dangerous. 'AFP can no longer use its vehicle, let alone procure petrol to fuel it and transport its journalists for their reporting. In any case, travelling by car would make them a target for the Israeli air force. AFP reporters therefore travel on foot or by donkey cart.'
Ahlam, another AFP journalist, continues to report from the south of Gaza. 'And she wants to 'bear witness' for as long as possible. 'Every time I leave the tent to cover an event, do an interview or document something, I don't know if I'll come back alive'.'
''The biggest problem,' she confirms, 'is the lack of food and water'.'
According to the SDJ, the situation for these journalists is deteriorating by the day. 'They are young and losing their strength. Most of them no longer have the physical capacity to travel around the enclave to do their job. Their heart-rending cries for help are now a daily occurrence.'
'Over the last few days, we have learnt from their brief messages that their lives are hanging by a thread and that the courage they have shown for months to bring news to the world will not be enough to pull them through.'
'The idea that we could hear of their passing at any time is unbearable to us. On Sunday, Bashar wrote: 'For the first time, I feel defeated'. Later that day, he told one of us that he was grateful to him 'for explaining what we go through every day between death and hunger'. 'I wish Mr Macron could help me get out of this hell'.'
Ahlam continues to hold on. 'Ahlam is still standing. 'I'm trying to continue doing my job, to carry the voice of the people, to document the truth in the face of all the attempts to silence it. Here, resisting is not a choice: it's a necessity.''
The SDJ underscored that this crisis is without precedent in the agency's long history: 'Since AFP was founded in August 1944, some of our journalists were killed in conflict, others were wounded or made prisoner, but there is no record of us ever having had to watch our colleagues starving to death.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
7 hours ago
- Roya News
Detained Handala aid ship activists launch hunger strike: Reports
More than a dozen international activists detained by 'Israel' after their aid boat Handala was intercepted en route to Gaza have launched a hunger strike to protest what they describe as forced and unlawful detention, according to legal aid group Adalah. The 21 activists on board the Handala, part of the Freedom Flotilla aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza, included nationals from ten countries, among them two French lawmakers, two Al Jazeera journalists, and several humanitarian volunteers. The 'Israeli' navy intercepted the boat in international waters and forcibly brought all passengers into 'Israel,' Adalah said. So far, five passengers have agreed to expedited deportation, while 14 others refused and were brought before the immigration tribunal at Givon Prison in Ramle on Monday. The hearings ended with the tribunal upholding their continued detention. The activists, represented by Adalah, reiterated during the session that their mission was purely humanitarian, aimed at opposing the ongoing siege of Gaza and the alleged genocide against Palestinians. Among the 14 who appeared in court were Americans Brandon Belloso and Christian Smalls; Australians Tania Safi and Robert Martin; French nationals Justine Kempf and Emma Forro (also holding Swedish citizenship); Italian Antonio La Picerella; British-French citizen Chloe Fiona Louden; Spaniards Sergio Toribio Sanchez and Santiago Gonzalez Vallejo; Norwegian Vigdis Bjorvand; and Tunisian Hatem Al-Ouini. Adalah noted that most of them are engaged in an open-ended hunger strike. Their lawyers reported that while their health remains relatively stable, concerns are growing over the legality and conditions of their detention. One US activist reportedly suffered 'severe physical violence' at the hands of 'Israeli' forces, while others have described poor detention conditions. ''Israel' is treating these activists as if they had illegally entered the country,' Adalah said. 'But they were forcibly taken from international waters. Under Israeli law, they were given two options: accept voluntary deportation or appear before a judge to determine whether they will remain detained until deportation is finalized.' The legal group further criticized the immigration proceedings at Givon, stating they give 'Israeli' authorities wide discretion to prolong detentions even without a substantial legal basis. Similar cases occurred with activists on the Maddeline, another flotilla ship seized by 'Israel' on June 9. According to Adalah, at least one of the French lawmakers, the two journalists, and two other passengers have since been deported. Two dual 'Israeli'-American nationals were reportedly released after interrogation. The flotilla's mission—led by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition—has seen four of its boats seized by 'Israel' in recent months, with Handala being the latest. The activists maintain that their efforts are part of a global nonviolent campaign to end the siege on Gaza and draw attention to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding there.
Roya News
7 hours ago
- Roya News
Hamas must surrender Gaza control, disarm: Palestinian PM
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa called on Hamas to cede control of the Gaza Strip and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority during remarks at the United Nations High-Level International Conference on "The peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution." Speaking on Monday, Mustafa affirmed that the State of Palestine is "the sole legitimate authority" entitled to govern Gaza. He urged an immediate end to the war, what he described as 'genocide and forced displacement,' and called for the release of captives as well as intensified mediation efforts, especially by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, to reach a ceasefire. The Prime Minister reiterated the Palestinian Authority's readiness to assume 'full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza,' warning against ongoing 'Israeli attempts to annex the West Bank.' He called on the international community to 'exert pressure on the occupying power' to halt such actions. Mustafa also emphasized the Palestinian leadership's commitment to establishing a free, sovereign, and independent Palestinian state, in line with international legitimacy. He urged countries that have yet to recognize Palestine to do so, stating that such a move is essential to supporting the two-state solution. The Palestinian leader announced his government's willingness to invite a temporary international and Arab stabilization force, under a UN Security Council mandate, to help protect Palestinian civilians and support stability in Gaza. 'We want one Palestinian state with one government and one legitimate weapon,' he said, rejecting all forms of violence and terrorism, including the targeting of civilians. Mustafa concluded by urging donor countries to convene an urgent conference to rebuild the devastated Gaza Strip, and said coordination is ongoing with Arab states to prevent the displacement of Palestinians from their homeland.
Roya News
10 hours ago
- Roya News
Jordan FM condemns "Israeli" defiance of international law at UN conference
During the first plenary meeting of the United Nations High-Level International Conference on "The Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution," global leaders gathered to reaffirm that the two-state solution remains the only viable path to lasting peace and regional stability. Speaking at the main session, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi emphasized the critical importance of this approach. He stated, 'We are gathered here today, representing the vast majority of the world, to affirm that there is one path to achieving a just peace that ensures security and stability for our entire region: the two-state solution.' Safadi highlighted the urgent context of the conference, pointing to the severe consequences of failing to implement the solution. 'The disastrous impact unfolds before our eyes in the form of death, destruction, and hunger that trample international humanitarian law underfoot and reduce it to a mere slogan,' he warned. He described the heartbreaking scenes from Gaza, where 'mothers weep over their children alive as they fade away before their eyes, unable to find a drop of water, a bite of bread, or a pill to ease their pain, as these children pass away having known only deprivation, oppression, and misery.' Safadi also pointed to the situation in the occupied West Bank, where 'settlement expansion accelerates, land confiscation increases, Palestinian blood is shed, Muslim and Christian holy sites are desecrated, and hope for peace—the only guarantee for the security of Palestinians and Israelis—dies.' He condemned "Israeli" violations of international law and sovereignty in Lebanon, noting "Israel's" repeated breaches of the ceasefire agreement. Similarly, he highlighted "Israeli" incursions into Syria, stating that Israel 'invades more Syrian land and interferes in Syria's internal affairs, even as the world supports rebuilding a free, stable Syria where all Syrians live in security, freedom, dignity, and equality.' Safadi concluded by warning that this reality exposes 'the erosion of our humanity, threatens our collective security, undermines the credibility of international law and the UN Charter, and perpetuates the conflict as the future of the region, just as it has been in the past and present.' Co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, the conference seeks to reinvigorate international momentum and explore concrete steps toward the implementation of the two-state framework. The gathering comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and stalled diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
