Latest news with #SDJ
Jordan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Jordan Times
France's top diplomat calls for foreign press access to Gaza
PARIS — French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday called on Israel to allow foreign press into the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza, as warnings of famine mount after 21 months of war. He spoke after the AFP news agency warned that the lives of Palestinian freelance journalists it was working with in Gaza were in danger and urged Israel to allow them and their families to leave the occupied coastal territory. "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 in an interview from eastern Ukraine. Asked if France would help AFP stringers leave Gaza, Barrot said France was "addressing the issue" and hoped to be able to evacuate freelancers working with French journalists "in the coming weeks". On Monday, an association of journalists at AFP called the Societe des Journalistes (Society of Journalists) sounded the alarm, urging "immediate intervention" to help reporters working with the agency in Gaza. The SDJ cited the example of one such freelancer, a 30-year-old living with his family in Gaza City, who reported on Sunday that his older brother "fell because of hunger". "We have lost journalists in conflicts, we have had injuries and prisoners in our ranks, but none of us can remember seeing a colleague die of starvation," it said. AFP management responded in a statement posted on X and Instagram which said that it shared the anguish about the "dire situation" of colleagues in Gaza. "Since October 7, Israel has prohibited access to the Gaza Strip for all international journalists. "In this context, the work of our Palestinian freelancers is crucial to inform the world," it said. "But their lives are in danger, which is why we urge the Israeli authorities to allow their immediate evacuation along with their families." AFP evacuated its eight staff members and their families from Gaza between January and April 2024. Barrot called for an "immediate ceasefire" after Israel on Monday expanded military operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah. "There is no longer any justification for the Israeli army's military operations in Gaza," he said. "This is an offensive that will exacerbate an already catastrophic situation and cause new forced displacements of populations, which we condemn in the strongest terms."
Shafaq News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Pregnant journalist killed in Gaza as media cries foul against Israel
Shafaq News – Gaza Palestinian journalist Walaa al-Jaabari was killed alongside her husband, five of their children, and her unborn child, in an Israeli airstrike that targeted their home on Wednesday in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, according to Palestinian media reports. Her death brought the number of journalists killed since October 7 to 231, according to the Government Media Office in Gaza, which described the toll as the result of 'premeditated assassinations' to silence Palestinian voices. الأخت الصحفية ولاء الجعبري وزوجها د. حسن الشاعر وأطفالها الخمسة وجنينها الذي في أحشائها قضوا إلى الله جميعاً في قصف همجي من المحتل المجرم على حي تل الهوى بمدينة غزة فجرًا.. — Khaled Safi 🇵🇸 خالد صافي (@KhaledSafi) July 23, 2025 Just days earlier, photojournalist Tamer al-Zaanin was shot and killed by Israeli forces during a raid that reportedly involved the abduction of Dr. Marwan al-Homs, director of Gaza's field hospitals. The Office called on international journalist unions—including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Federation of Arab Journalists—to break their silence. It also held the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France responsible for enabling what it called 'genocidal crimes,' urging international courts to pursue accountability for Israeli officials. The international media community has sounded its own alarms. On Tuesday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) urged Israel to facilitate the immediate evacuation of its freelancers trapped in Gaza, warning they are facing not only the threat of bombing but also starvation and physical collapse. 'Their situation is now untenable,' AFP declared, describing conditions for its team on the ground as 'appalling.' Ten freelancers—one writer, three photographers, and six videographers—remain inside Gaza, among the last international reporters documenting the war firsthand. Depuis que l'AFP a été fondée en août 1944, nous avons perdu des journalistes dans des conflits, nous avons eu des blessés et des prisonniers dans nos rangs, mais aucun de nous n'a le souvenir d'avoir vu un collaborateur mourir de faim. Nous refusons de les voir mourir. — La SDJ de l'AFP (@SDJ_AFP) July 21, 2025 One of them, photographer Bashar Taleb, wrote in a Facebook post: 'My body is thin, and I can no longer work,' revealing that his brother had recently collapsed from hunger. While the journalists still receive their salaries, food is either unavailable or priced beyond reach. AFP's journalists' union, the SDJ, warned: 'Without intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die.' AFP management confirmed it is working to evacuate its staff and their families, despite the near-total closure of Gaza's borders. 'We share the anguish expressed by the SDJ union,' the agency stated, adding that it has been 'helplessly witnessing the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions.' Without immediate intervention,the last reporters in Gaza will die -Sin una intervención inmediata,los últimos reporteros de Gaza morirán-بلا تدخل فوري، آخر مراسلي وكالة فرانس برس في قطاع غزة مهددون بالموت جوعاً — La SDJ de l'AFP (@SDJ_AFP) July 23, 2025 Meanwhile, Israel's assault on press freedom has extended to arrests. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club reported that Israeli forces have detained 55 journalists since the war began, with 49 still held in detention. Human rights groups accuse Israeli authorities of torture, starvation, and medical neglect inside prisons. More than 10,400 Palestinians are currently imprisoned, including 47 women, over 440 children, and 2,214 detainees from Gaza labeled as 'unlawful combatants.' Rights monitors warn that these conditions have already led to multiple deaths behind bars.
Euronews
7 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
AFP journalists at risk of starvation in Gaza, news agency says
The journalists' association of the French wire service Agence France-Presse (AFP) warned on Monday that staff working with the agency in Gaza are at risk of starvation and that "without intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die." The Société des Journalistes de l'Agence France-Presse (SDJ) said that the agency still has "one freelance writer, three photographers, and six video freelancers" working in Gaza after most of its staff left the Strip last year. Along with a handful of others, they are some of the last Western journalists reporting on the ground in Gaza. "Since AFP was founded in August 1944, we have lost journalists in conflicts, we have had wounded and prisoners in our ranks, but none of us can recall seeing a colleague die of hunger," the SDJ said in a post on X. In the statement, the SDJ said that AFP's journalists in Gaza have warned that they no longer have strength to report, with one photographer, Bashar Taleb, saying in a post on Facebook: "My body is thin and I can no longer work." He also said that his older brother fell at the weekend with symptoms linked to severe hunger. The union added that even though the journalists receive a monthly salary from AFP for their work, "there is nothing to buy, or only at completely exorbitant prices." "We see their situation worsening," the union said. "They are young, and their strength is leaving them. Most no longer have the physical ability to travel the enclave to do their job. Their heartbreaking calls for help are now daily." Responding to the statement, AFP management said it "shares the anguish" expressed by the SDJ union and that it has also been "helplessly witnessing the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions." The agency says it is now working to evacuate its remaining freelance journalists and their families from Gaza, "despite the extreme difficulty of leaving a territory subject to a strict blockade."
Roya News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
AFP journalists issue unprecedented plea to save Gaza team from starvation
AFP journalists warn Gaza team faces death from hunger: 'Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die' 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.'
Middle East Eye
7 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
AFP warns Gaza journalists risk starving to death amid ongoing Israeli siege
The AFP journalists' union has warned that its colleagues working in Gaza are facing death from starvation, as a result of Israel's blockade on the besieged Palestinian territory. Famine caused by Israel's war and blockade on Gaza is spreading across the region, with a growing number of deaths due to malnutrition and dehydration reported in recent days. "We have lost journalists in conflicts, we have had wounded and imprisoned in our ranks, but none of us remembers seeing a colleague die of hunger," the union, SDJ (Society of Journalists), said in a statement on Monday. Following the union's statement, AFP management said it "shares the anguish expressed by the SDJ regarding the appalling situation of its staff" and urged Israel to allow their evacuation. "For months, we have been helplessly witnessing the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions. Their situation is now untenable, despite exemplary courage, professional commitment and resilience," an AFP statement said on Monday. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The AFP has ten Palestinian photographers and reporters working in the enclave. One includes a reporter named Bashar, who on Saturday wrote on his Facebook account: "I don't have the power to cover media anymore. My body is lean and I no longer have the ability to walk." On Sunday, he shared an update, in which he wrote: "For the first time, I feel defeated." He appealed to his colleagues for help: "I wish Mr Macron could help me get out of this hell." "Bashar has been living since February in the ruins of his home in Gaza City with his mother, his four siblings and the family of one of his brothers," the SDJ said, adding that one brother had died from hunger. Another journalist mentioned in the statement, Ahlam, is in the south of the enclave where she says she is determined to "bear witness" for as long as possible. "Every time I leave the tent to cover an event, conduct an interview or document a fact, I don't know if I'll come back alive," the SDJ quoted her as saying. Fifteen more Palestinians die from starvation amid Israeli-imposed famine Read More » The biggest problem, she said, is the lack of food and water. Despite the monthly salary AFP pays its journalists in Gaza, they cannot buy anything due to exorbitant prices and shortages. Reporters also travel "on foot or by donkey cart", due to a lack of cars and gasoline, and to avoid being targeted by Israeli strikes. "We see their situation worsening. They are young and their strength is leaving them. Most no longer have the physical ability to travel the enclave to do their job. Their heartbreaking cries for help are now daily," the SDJ said, adding: "We refuse to see them die." The AFP has urged Israeli authorities to allow the immediate evacuation of their reporters along with their families. "Since 7 October, Israel has prohibited access to the Gaza Strip for all international journalists. In this context, the work of our Palestinian freelancers is crucial to inform the world," it said. "But their lives are in danger." Between January and April 2024, the AFP has helped evacuate eight of its staff and their families and is now taking the same steps for its freelancers. France asks Israel to allow foreign press into Gaza Following the statements by the AFP and its workers' union, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called on Israel to allow the foreign press into Gaza. "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's Inter radio station on Tuesday. The minister said France hoped to be able to evacuate freelancers working with French journalists "in the coming weeks". Israel bombards Gaza's Deir al-Balah as 18 die from starvation Read More » He also called for an "immediate ceasefire" after Israel expanded military operations to the central city of Deir al-Balah on Monday. "There is no longer any justification for the Israeli army's military operations in Gaza," Barrot said. "This is an offensive that will exacerbate an already catastrophic situation and cause new forced displacements of populations, which we condemn in the strongest terms." On Monday, a group of 25 countries, including France and the United Kingdom, called on Israel to end its 21-month war on Gaza and said the suffering of ordinary Palestinians had "reached new depths". "We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," the countries said in a joint statement.
