AFP news agency calls on Israel to allow evacuation of its freelance contributors

Palestinian journalists working for French organisation say desperate hunger and lack of clean water is making them ill

News agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) has called on Israel to allow the immediate evacuation of its freelance contributors and their families from the Gaza Strip, a day after they warned that they were struggling to work due to starvation.

In a statement, the French news agency said its freelancers faced an appalling situation" in Gaza. A 21-month war with Israel has devastated the territory, a conflict triggered by Hamas's deadly attack on Israel in October 2023.