UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on Sunday that the Gaza Strip has become the world’s most dangerous place for journalists and humanitarian workers, warning that continued restrictions and attacks are undermining efforts to document events and deliver aid.
In a press statement, Lazzarini said more than 230 journalists have been killed in Gaza, stressing the need to ensure freedom of access for the media and to protect journalists in line with international humanitarian law.
He argued that preventing international journalists from entering the Gaza Strip contributes to the spread of misinformation and extremist narratives, and weakens the ability of the international community to understand the scale of the humanitarian crisis on the ground.
Lazzarini also said that ongoing attacks on journalists and humanitarian personnel represent a serious violation of international law, calling for urgent measures to provide them with protection and to allow media organisations to operate freely and without restrictions.
Separately, Gaza’s government media office said last Wednesday that the number of journalists killed since the start of the Israeli war has risen to 260, following the killing of three journalists linked to an Egyptian committee.
READ: 3 journalists among 11 Gazans killed in Israeli attacks amid ceasefire violations