NextFin news, On August 21, 2025, a coalition of 27 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, formally demanded that Israel allow immediate independent foreign media access to Gaza. The statement also called for the protection of journalists throughout Israel and the Palestinian territories.
The joint declaration was issued amid ongoing conflict and restrictions that have limited press freedom and access to the Gaza Strip. The countries emphasized the importance of independent reporting to ensure transparency and accountability in the region.
The statement specifically urged Israel to lift bans preventing foreign journalists from entering Gaza and to safeguard local journalists working in the Palestinian territories. This call comes after international concern over the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif in Gaza on August 11, 2025, by an Israeli airstrike, which Israel claimed was targeting a Hamas cell.
Canada notably did not join the statement, marking a rare absence from such multi-country calls. Canada co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition in 2020 and has previously signed statements on media freedom issues in other regions but declined to sign this particular statement. Global Affairs Canada did not provide an immediate explanation for this decision.
The demand for press access and journalist protection was reported by The Guardian on August 21, 2025, and corroborated by other international news sources. The coalition's statement underscores the ongoing international concern about media restrictions and the safety of journalists covering the conflict in Gaza.
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