BRUSSELS

The Flemish Association of Journalists (VVJ) on Wednesday urged Israel to immediately grant access to foreign journalists in the Gaza Strip, warning that press freedom and independent reporting are under severe threat amid the ongoing conflict.

In a statement, the VVJ, which is based in Belgium, said it supported the recent call by French Deputy Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot for international media to be allowed into the besieged enclave.

The group stressed that the exclusion of foreign press from the territory is "unacceptable," saying: "The situation on the ground is alarming: not only is the humanitarian crisis reaching unprecedented proportions and famine worsening, but press freedom and independent reporting are also under severe pressure."

The association cited a warning by the AFP news agency that Palestinian freelance journalists in Gaza are so severely affected by hunger that many are unable to continue working.

According to a July 22 press release by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), over 171 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the conflict erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, the group said.

"This figure underscores the deadly risks local reporters face daily and reinforces the urgent need for international access and protection of press freedom in the region," it added.

Israel has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, collapsed the health system, and led to severe food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.