CNN, MS NOW Stars Join Colleagues from Around the World In Call for Israel to Let Journalists into Gaza

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The Foreign Press Association on Thursday created a petition demanding that Israel let journalists into Gaza to “report freely.”

The announcement of the petition included a video. Featuring the likes of CNN’s Clarissa Ward, MS NOW’s Ayman Mohyeldin, and Palestinian journalist Hind Khoudary, the association had its members read lines one-by-one urging Israel to change its policy barring foreign journalists from setting foot in Gaza.

The reporters said:

We’ve been locked out, banned, denied, restricted for more than 2 years. The Israeli government has refused to allow journalists into Gaza to report independently, to show the world the reality of war and this fragile ceasefire from every angle. It is long past time for Israel to lift this ban and let us in.

Our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza have been reporting for more than two years under impossible conditions, but they shouldn’t have to bear that burden alone. More than 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza. Many more have been displaced. Some have been detained. We need more journalists in Gaza.

The Foreign Press Association petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court to overrule the government’s ban. The government responded with excuses, stalling tactics, and classified security arguments. Enough is enough.

You, me, us, we — should all fight for our right to be informed, for the rights of a free and independent press.

The tweet also linked to the change.org petition demanding the end of Israel’s ban.

Thursday’s statement came three weeks after another group of journalists signed a letter urging Egypt’s government to allow access to Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The letter included signatures from more than 100 journalists at CNN, NBC, CBS, Sky News, BCC, and more. Egypt has banned journalists from crossing into Gaza at the Rafah crossing since 2013.

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