As Israel moves forward with what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government calls “the full conquest of the Gaza Strip,” more than 600 journalists and major news organizations have issued an urgent call to allow foreign press into Gaza. The petition, released Monday by Freedom to Report (FTR), describes the press restrictions as “the worst press blackout in modern conflict” and demands “immediate, unsupervised foreign press access.”
“This is not a call to be heard,” said war photographer André Liohn, founder of FTR. “We demand that independent, professional journalists be allowed into Gaza. What’s happening today is not only a humanitarian blackout but also an information blackout, and it must end.”
The petition is signed by journalists from some of the world’s largest news outlets, including CNN, ABC, The Guardian, Channel 4, and Sky News. Prominent individuals who signed on include CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour, Channel 4’s international editor Lindsey Hilsum, and Zeteo founder Mehdi Hasan.
Since Israel began its assault on Gaza in October 2023, it has barred outside journalists from entering the territory independently. The few who have been allowed in—such as those from the BBC and The Associated Press—have only done so on Israeli military-led tours. As The Times of Israel reported, “These visits are typically brief, highly curated, and prohibit any free interaction with Palestinian civilians—drawing criticism from press advocates who argue they fall short of true journalistic independence.”
“When governments can unilaterally shut down access to war zones,” the petition states, “they undermine the very foundation of democracy: press freedom as a check on power.”
The petition emphasizes that journalists inside Gaza have continued reporting under extraordinary conditions. “Despite unimaginable danger, loss, and now starvation, they continue to document the war with extraordinary courage and professionalism,” the petition says.
The cost has been catastrophic. As of April, at least 232 journalists had been killed in Gaza since the war began—an average of 13 per month. The petition notes that “more journalists have died in Gaza than in both world wars, the Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia, and the United States war in Afghanistan combined.”
“While honoring the extraordinary courage of Palestinian journalists reporting under siege,” the petitioners wrote, “international access is critical to provide a full, independent account of the war, and to support those risking everything to report from within.”
The call for access comes as Israel’s military campaign enters a new and more expansive phase. In a video posted on X, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “We’re committing to free Gaza from the tyranny of these terrorists.” He claimed that Palestinians had asked Israel to help them “be free of Hamas,” and added, “That’s what we will do.”
According to Israeli Army Radio, the government was set to discuss military operations targeting central and southern Gaza—including airstrikes, ground raids, and the encirclement of refugee camps. A senior Israeli official was quoted in local media as saying, “The die has been cast. We’re going for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip—and defeating Hamas.”
Netanyahu’s strategy has faced criticism from within Israel’s own military leadership. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly objected to a plan to force all Palestinians into a concentration camp in Rafah, calling it “unworkable.” In response, a Cabinet member said, “If [the takeover plan] doesn’t work for the chief of staff, he should resign.”
The full occupation strategy comes after cease-fire and hostage deal negotiations between Israel and Hamas broke down. Hundreds of retired Israeli security and intelligence officials sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday urging him to pressure Netanyahu to end the war, saying Hamas “no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel.”
Public opinion in Israel is also shifting. Polls show that three in four Israelis now support a cease-fire to secure the return of hostages, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive in Gaza. Families of those taken captive during Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack reportedly fear that continued military escalation could endanger their loved ones. “The best way for the hostages to be freed alive is through Israeli negotiations with Hamas,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, “but Netanyahu seems to be opting for a risky and dangerous military option instead.”
Critics say Netanyahu is also using the war to consolidate political power. On Monday, his Cabinet voted to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is prosecuting Netanyahu for corruption. The move was quickly blocked by Israel’s High Court of Justice. Sina Toossi, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, said Netanyahu’s actions “signified him clinging to power in dictatorial fashion.”
From the time Netanyahu’s full occupation plan was first reported on Monday to the time it was confirmed by the Cabinet on Tuesday, at least 8 more Palestinians died of starvation or malnutrition and another 79 were killed in IDF attacks, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
In his video statement, Netanyahu repeated claims—recently debunked by IDF officials—that Hamas has been stealing humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, nearly 200 Palestinians, including at least 94 children, have died from starvation under Israel’s near-total blockade of humanitarian assistance. In total, Israel has killed at least 61,020 Palestinians and injured 150,671 since October 2023.
In recent weeks, over 1,000 Palestinians seeking aid at U.S.- and Israeli-administered distribution sites have reportedly been gunned down. Though Israeli officials have denied these reports, IDF whistleblowers have come forward through international media to confirm their accuracy and challenge the official narrative.
“As disinformation spreads and propaganda dominates, independent, on-the-ground reporting becomes more essential than ever,” the petition said. “This is not activism, it is journalism, and it is urgent.”
International condemnation of Israel’s blockade and targeting of civilians continues to grow. In response to worsening images of starvation in Gaza, France announced it would officially recognize Palestinian statehood. The United Kingdom and Canada have signaled that they may soon do the same.
“What’s happening in Gaza today reveals a far broader crisis: the erosion of press freedom as a pillar of democracy,” the petition said. “The people most directly affected are not only the millions of civilians in Gaza enduring war beyond public scrutiny, but also global citizens everywhere whose right to receive free and independent information is being denied.”
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