US President Donald Trump said Thursday he would like to see international journalists gain access to Gaza, where Israel has restricted independent foreign media entry since the start of the war in October 2023.
“I’d like to see that happen,” President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked whether he would press Israel to permit journalists into the enclave to cover humanitarian work. “I’d be very fine with journalists going in. It’s a very dangerous position to be in if you’re a journalist, but I would like to see it,” he added.
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Foreign reporters have only been allowed to enter Gaza under close Israeli military escort, a condition that limits their ability to operate independently. Israel has dismissed information released by Hamas-run authorities in Gaza, but has faced criticism from international media organizations over the restrictions.
Last month, outlets including Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, BBC World Service, and Reuters issued a joint appeal to Israeli authorities to allow journalists to move freely in and out of Gaza. They said it was “essential that adequate food supplies reach the people there” and expressed concern for local reporters “increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this week he had instructed the military to allow more journalists into Gaza. However, his remarks appeared to refer to an expansion of military-escorted visits, not to granting reporters unrestricted access.