Israel's foreign media ban in Gaza fuels misinformation, spread of dehumanisation: UNRWA

Israel’s ban on international media in the war-torn Gaza Strip fuels disinformation and the spread of dehumanisation, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said today.

“Since the war began 1.5 years ago, the Israeli Authorities have banned the entry of international media to Gaza to report independently,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.

“This is fueling propaganda, disinformation, and the spread of dehumanization.”

In addition to the ban, credible accounts and eyewitness testimonies from relief organisations on the situation in Gaza are being discredited and questioned, Lazzarini lamented.

“The free flow of information and independent reporting are key to facts and accountability during conflicts. Gaza should be no exception,” the UNRWA chief said.

According to local Palestinian authorities, at least 210 journalists have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

The Israeli occupation army renewed its assault on Gaza on 18 March, shattering a 19 January ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

More than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

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