Starving for Truth: AFP Urges Israel to Evacuate Journalists from Gaza

The French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) has issued a strong appeal to Israel, urging it to facilitate the immediate evacuation of its freelance journalists and their families from Gaza.

The agency described the current conditions in the besieged territory as “appalling” and “untenable,” highlighting the severe risks faced by those who continue to report under extreme duress.

AFP’s call, released on Tuesday, followed a stark warning from the Society of Journalists, an independent association representing AFP staff, that their freelance colleagues in Gaza are on the brink of starvation.

“For months, we have witnessed with growing alarm the rapid deterioration of their living conditions,” AFP stated.

“Their situation has reached a critical point, despite their remarkable courage, dedication, and resilience.”

Palestinian journalists have been vital in covering developments from within Gaza since Israel barred international media access to the area.

AFP emphasized that these freelancers have played a crucial role in documenting the situation and called on Israeli authorities to permit their safe evacuation without further delay, stating clearly that “their lives are at imminent risk.”

The Society of Journalists reinforced the urgency of the situation on Monday, expressing their deep concern that their colleagues could die from hunger at any moment.

“This is unbearable for us,” the group said.

“They are among the last remaining voices reporting from Gaza.

“With the international press shut out for nearly two years, we cannot stand by and watch them perish.”

Among those highlighted was a 30-year-old photographer named Bashar, who recently posted on social media that his body had grown frail and he was struggling to continue his work due to exhaustion and lack of food.

“Since AFP’s founding in 1944, we have lost journalists in conflicts and seen colleagues injured or imprisoned, but none of us recall a journalist dying from starvation,” the association noted grimly.

The dire situation in Gaza has drawn broader attention from media organizations and humanitarian groups.

On Wednesday, the Al Jazeera Media Network issued a statement calling for urgent international intervention to end the humanitarian crisis that has also taken a heavy toll on journalists.

Al Jazeera’s Director General, Mostefa Souag, stressed the importance of standing in solidarity with reporters in Gaza who continue to risk their lives.

“We must raise their voices and act to stop the intolerable suffering caused by deliberate starvation and targeted attacks by Israeli forces,” he said.

The UK-based humanitarian group Oxfam also joined the chorus of concern.

On Tuesday, the organization reported that its staff in Gaza were facing similar conditions.

Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s policy lead for the occupied Palestinian territory and Gaza, shared that her colleagues are enduring extreme deprivation while continuing their humanitarian duties.

“One of my coworkers told me she went to work after eating just one falafel and without access to clean water. Still, she showed up to help others,” Khalidi told Al Jazeera.

These pleas come amid worsening conditions in the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, local health authorities reported that 15 more Palestinians, including four children, had died of starvation in the previous 24 hours.

This brings the total number of deaths caused by malnutrition since the start of the conflict to at least 101.

Since March, Israel had entirely halted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Although some aid has trickled in since May through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a body supported by Israel and the U.S., the quantity remains vastly insufficient.

The GHF has faced widespread criticism and a boycott from major humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations, who argue that the group’s operations are inadequate and poorly managed.

Tragically, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access food at GHF distribution points, according to the UN Human Rights Office.

These deaths have often occurred near aid convoys and drop-off locations, underscoring the perilous conditions civilians face while seeking basic sustenance.

As the humanitarian crisis deepens, AFP and allied voices are calling for urgent action, not only to protect journalists but to safeguard the civilian population of Gaza as a whole.

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