Forum urges global pressure to lift ban on journalists entering Gaza

The Palestinian Journalists Forum issued an urgent appeal Thursday to 11 international human rights and media organizations, demanding immediate action to pressure Israel into lifting its “arbitrary ban” on foreign journalists entering the Gaza Strip.

In memos sent to groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, the Forum warned that the two-year blockade on international media creates a “comprehensive media blackout.”

This restriction, they argue, violates Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is designed to obscure facts and hinder the documentation of civilian violations.

The Forum called on the international community to formally condemn the policy and include these practices in United Nations reports. “Press freedom is the first line of defense for the truth,” the statement noted, emphasizing that blocking independent coverage undermines international legal accountability.