‘Hugely Frustrating’: International Media Seek to Overcome Gaza Ban

By Harriet Sherwood | The Guardian

International journalists covering the ‘Israel’-Hamas war are increasingly frustrated by the ban on entering Gaza, leaving them unable to provide comprehensive on-the-ground coverage of the impact of the conflict inside the territory.

The ‘Erez’ crossing from ‘Israel’ into Gaza, controlled by the ‘Israeli’ military, has been closed since 7 October.

The Rafah crossing, from Egypt into Gaza at the southern end of the territory, which is controlled by the Egyptian military, has also been closed to journalists since the beginning of the war.

The Foreign Press Association [FPA], an independent ‘Israeli’ organization that represents members of the international media, has taken the first steps in a “legal procedure” for access into Gaza for international journalists after an initial request to the ‘Israeli’ Forces and the ‘Israeli’ government press office was ignored.

The international media has been relying on Palestinian journalists and media workers in Gaza, contact with Palestinian civilians, aid agency staff and medical workers, as well as social media reports, which need painstaking verification. Since the start of the war, at least 63 journalists and media workers in Gaza have been killed, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Some international journalists have embedded with the ‘Israeli’ forces inside Gaza since 7 October. However, the ‘Israeli’ forces have forbidden contact with Palestinians on the ground and has insisted that reports be submitted for review before publication or broadcast.

The risk of death or injury means that many international media organizations would be reluctant to send staff into Gaza while fighting was continuing even if access was possible.

“The FPA is aware of the unique security challenges posed by the current war. Nonetheless, ‘Israel’ has always enabled access to Gaza during and after previous rounds of fighting. It also is legally obligated, under a previous supreme court ruling,” the FPA said in a statement.

“The FPA expects the ‘Israeli’ government and the ‘Israeli’ forces to stand true to their commitments to allow freedom of reporting for journalists and allow access beyond the limited number of controlled embedment opportunities the army has offered.”

The ‘Israeli’ government press office, which has issued media credentials to about 2,800 international journalists since 7 October, said the ‘Erez’ crossing had been “fully operational” up until the Hamas ‘attack.’

“Since then nobody has crossed it – not Palestinian workers, not diplomats, not NGOs and not journalists. The only active land crossing for people into Gaza is Rafah, which is under exclusive Egyptian control,” said Ron Paz, head of the foreign press department.

Any decision about allowing journalists access was a “matter of policy which is beyond my realm at the government press office,” he added.

Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s international editor who has covered the ‘Israeli’-Palestinian conflict for decades, said: “Not being on the scene makes reporting much harder. In war reporting, nothing beats using your own eyes and ears.”

Palestinian journalists in Gaza have also found it frustrating “because movement is very difficult and dangerous.”

Bowen said he would “probably go into Gaza” if access was permitted. “But it would be with a sense of trepidation.”

He added: “I doubt ‘Israel’ will let journalists in until sometime after a ceasefire.”

“What has really changed things is the proliferation of videos people post online. Closing down a story completely is impossible these days.”

Secunder Kermani, foreign correspondent for Channel 4 News, who has been covering the war since its start, said: “It’s hugely frustrating not to be able to document first-hand the awful scenes in Gaza. Of course, there are many Palestinian journalists doing crucial and dangerous work, either producing powerful reports themselves or providing us with material.”

“Everything in this war is so contested, being able to access Gaza independently would allow us to delve more deeply into the many competing claims and counter-claims, as well to get a better understanding of the internal dynamics within Gaza right now.”

“The ramifications of this war will be felt for many years and in many places across the world. It’s essential international journalists are able to scrutinize it.”

Another senior international journalist who asked not to be named said the difficulties of information-gathering were getting worse “because the phone networks were now down most of the time.”

But, the journalist added, “the idea that if the borders opened, everyone would charge in – I’m not sure that’s true, given the issues of safety.”

In other conflicts, it was possible to retreat from the frontline but in Gaza nowhere was safe. Reporting this war was “one of the biggest journalistic challenges any of us has faced.”

Jamie Wilson, head of international news at the Guardian, said: “This is a difficult issue for media organizations. We want to provide comprehensive reporting on the ground, but the situation in Gaza is extremely dangerous.

“Nevertheless, this is a decision that news organizations should be weighing up for themselves, rather than having the ‘Israeli’ government denying access to international journalists.”

In the 2008-9 war in Gaza, which lasted three weeks, ‘Israel’ denied access to the territory to international journalists until a ceasefire was declared. In later conflicts in 2012 and 2014, media workers were allowed entry via the ‘Erez’ crossing.