Canada joins call to protect Gaza journalists, allow foreign media

Canada has signed onto a multi-country statement that demands Israel stop banning foreign journalists from entering Gaza and that local journalists be protected in the Palestinian territories.

Canada co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition in 2020 and has signed dozens of statements on issues in Hong Kong, Sudan and previously the West Bank.

Ottawa was not among the 27 countries who signed a call Thursday for Israel to allow "independent foreign media access" into Gaza, and for journalists to be protect across Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Global Affairs Canada said Thursday it would provide a statement to The Canadian Press but did not do so, and Canada was added onto the statement that evening following media coverage.

The statement came after Canada and others condemned Israel for deliberately killing Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, after claiming he had led a cell of Hamas.

The only other time Canada had not signed a multi-country statement from the coalition was during the 2021 election campaign.

Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana