Sixty-one members of the European Parliament (MEPs) urged top EU officials on Thursday to make foreign journalists’ access to Gaza a central demand in relations with Israel, calling for “all possible diplomatic and political means” to ensure independent reporting from the enclave, Anadolu Agency reports.
In a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the lawmakers said Israel’s continued restrictions on international media access to Gaza undermine press freedom and the public’s right to information.
“We call on you to specifically make access for foreign journalists a key demand in your bilateral relations with Israel and to use all possible diplomatic and political means to ensure it is granted,” the letter said.
The lawmakers noted that despite a ceasefire taking effect in October 2025, Israel has continued to deny independent access to Gaza for foreign journalists.
READ: Gaza is the world’s most dangerous place for journalists, UN rights body says
The Israeli authorities only permit limited military-escorted visits that are “highly controlled and choreographed,” preventing journalists from freely engaging with Palestinians in the territory, they added.
“Independent access is an internationally-accepted principle of war reporting. This sets a damaging precedent if banning a free press from conflict becomes an uncontested practice. Our right to access information is being restricted,” they said.
“The Israeli government has provided no evidence or further explanation of these purported security risks, or how this differs from other conflict zones. Security can no longer be invoked by Israel as justification to deny access,” the lawmakers added.
The Israeli genocidal war on Gaza began on Oct. 8, 2023, and has killed more than 72,600 Palestinians and wounded over 172,500, according to Palestinian figures.
Despite a ceasefire in effect, Israel continues daily strikes and a blockade that has killed hundreds more and worsened humanitarian conditions in the enclave, home to about 2.4 million Palestinians, including 1.5 million displaced.
READ: Palestinian journalist killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, death toll rises to 262
