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Posted on July 22, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleAFP urges Israel to allow evacuation of its Gaza freelancers due to dire conditions and safety risks amid ongoing conflict.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Agence France-Presse called on Israel on Tuesday to allow the immediate evacuation of its freelance contributors and their families from the Gaza Strip, citing worsening living conditions and escalating risks to their safety.
In a statement, the French news agency said its freelancers faced an "appalling situation" in Gaza. A 21-month war with Israel has devastated the territory, a conflict triggered by Hamas' deadly attack on Israel in October 2023.
"For months, we have been witnessing, powerless, the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions," AFP said, adding that the situation had become untenable despite the "exemplary courage, professional commitment and resilience" of its local team.
The management statement came after AFP's journalists' association issued its own statement saying colleagues in Gaza risked dying of hunger.
AFP said it had succeeded in evacuating eight staff members and their families from Gaza between January and April 2024, after months of effort. It is now seeking to secure safe passage for its freelance Palestinian reporters, despite "the extreme difficulty of leaving a territory under strict blockade".
The Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the AFP statement.
Israel has barred international journalists from entering Gaza since October 7, 2023. AFP said the work of its Palestinian freelancers remained crucial to informing the world, but said they now had to leave because of the risk to their lives.
Reuters also works with freelance journalists in Gaza.
"Reuters is deeply concerned about the health and safety of its freelancers in Gaza, with whom we are in daily contact. The extreme difficulty sourcing food is leading to their and all Gaza residents experiencing greater levels of hunger and illness," a Reuters spokesperson said. "We are providing our contributors with additional financial support to help them and, should they wish to leave the territory, we will provide any assistance possible to help them get out."
(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
AFP is calling on Israel to allow the immediate evacuation of its freelance contributors and their families from the Gaza Strip due to worsening living conditions.
AFP has successfully evacuated eight staff members and their families from Gaza between January and April 2024.
Freelancers in Gaza are facing an appalling situation, with reports indicating that they risk dying of hunger due to extreme difficulties in sourcing food.
The Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment on the situation.
AFP stated that the work of its Palestinian freelancers is crucial for informing the world about the ongoing situation in Gaza, despite the challenges they face.
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