The China Mail - France's top diplomat calls for foreign press access to Gaza

The United Nations and human rights groups say Gaza and its population of more than two million 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 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 stringers leave Gaza, Barrot said 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 the war "must end now", as the "suffering of civilians in Gaza" had "reached new depths".

- 'Immediate intervention' -

On Monday, a staff association 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".

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Monday that it was "receiving desperate messages of starvation" from its Gaza staff, as the Palestinian territory experiences surging levels of hunger.

With food scarce or unaffordable, doctors, the civil defence agency and medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have reported a spike in malnutrition cases in recent weeks.

The civil defence agency on Sunday reported at least three infant deaths from "severe hunger and malnutrition" in the past week.

Eighteen reportedly died of starvation within 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said.

Israel on Monday said there was "no ban or restriction on the entry of baby formula or baby food into Gaza."

- 'No longer any justification' -

AFP evacuated its eight staff members and their families from Gaza between January and April 2024.

The agency said the situation of its freelancers had now also become "untenable".

"Since October 7, Israel has blocked access to the Gaza Strip for all international journalists. In this context, the work of our Palestinian freelancers is crucial to informing the world," it said.

"But their lives are in danger, so we urge the Israeli authorities to allow them to evacuate immediate along with their families."

Barrot called for an "immediate ceasefire, the freeing of all hostages held by Hamas, which must be disarmed, and for unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza".

"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."

S.Wilson--ThChM