Canada, 20 allies call for protection of journalists in Gaza
Canada and 20 other countries have issued a joint statement, urging the protection of journalists in the Gaza Strip and calling on Israel to allow foreign media access to the enclave.
“On September 24, during the High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly, France, along with Reporters Without Borders, organized an event dedicated to the situation of journalists in Gaza. At the end of this event, this statement was endorsed by 21 countries,” it said.
The statement, released by Global Affairs Canada, was endorsed by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
Countries noted that they met with civil society groups “to discuss the protection of journalists in Gaza and access to information”.
Israeli air strikes in Gaza occur ‘every eight or nine minutes’: UN
“Israeli forces have stepped up their operations over the past 24 hours, with devastating consequences for civilians,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, citing the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“On average, this meant an air strike every eight or nine minutes.”
Dujarric said the UN teams monitoring population movement “counted about 16,500 displaced people from northern Gaza to the south” on Thursday alone.
He noted that aid workers remain positioned along displacement routes to provide support, but warned of mounting challenges.
“Aid workers remain stationed along displacement routes, offering psychosocial first aid, referring people to specialised services when needed, and educating new arrivals on the danger of explosive ordinances,” he said.
