Yesterday, Wednesday, 17 members of the US Senate appealed to Foreign Minister Marco Rubio asking Israel to provide protection for the international press and allow it to reach the Gaza Strip, a week after an invitation in this direction issued by President Donald Trump.
“The United States must make it clear to Israel that the ban on media organizations, impose control over them, target or threatening journalism members is unacceptable and must stop,” said members of the Senate, who are 16 democraticism and independent Senator Bernie Sanders.
In their message to the United States Foreign Minister, the fixed ally of Israel, members of the Senate said that they were “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to demand the Israeli government to protect journalists in Gaza and allow the international media to reach the Palestinian sector” destroyed by the 22 -month war.
And Trump said last week in response to a question about the failure of Israel to allow the international media to enter the sector, “It will be very good for me if the journalists go to the Gaza Strip, adding,” This is very dangerous for journalists, but I hope it will happen. “
Trump’s statement came 4 days after an Israeli raid that killed 6 journalists, in a strike that sparked international anger. In their message, the 17 American lawmakers touched on this strike.
They said in their statement that “it appears that Israel has publicly recognized that it targeted and killed journalists who reveal the world the extent of suffering in Gaza,” denouncing what might constitute “a violation of international law.”
The message stressed that “strengthening freedom of the press in the world, preserving the safety of journalists, and the advancement of international law, are necessary matters for the leadership of the United States and to enhance its interests and values.”
On Wednesday evening, the Washington Post newspaper reported that the director of the Information Office at the Middle East Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Quraishi, was dismissed from his post for his proposal to offer Washington condolences to journalists who were killed in Gaza.
The “Reporters Without Borders”, the organization that defends the media, said in early July that more than 200 local journalists have been killed in the sector since October 2023.
Because of the siege imposed on Gaza, many media outlets around the world depend on pictures, videos and texts from local Palestinian correspondents to cover the conflict.
