British News Agency

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini made remarks on the impact of the war in Gaza on media freedom and humanitarian aid.

Emphasizing the price paid by journalists and aid workers, Lazzarini said: “Palestinian journalists have been our eyes and ears by reporting on the brutality of the war in Gaza and conveying its impact with a human dimension. They worked heroically despite all hardships. Together with humanitarian workers, they paid a heavy price. More than 230 journalists have been killed.”

Stating that restrictions on the international press fuel disinformation, Lazzarini said: “Since the start of the war, international journalists have been banned from entering Gaza independently—an essential element of media freedom. This ban fuels disinformation campaigns and polarized narratives. Its purpose is to challenge first-hand data and eyewitness accounts, including those of international humanitarian organizations, and to dehumanize Palestinians.”

Lazzarini stressed that these restrictions must end immediately, saying: “The ban on international journalists has lasted far too long; its lifting is long overdue.”