MORE than 50 broadcast journalists have sent an open letter to the embassies of Israel and Egypt calling for “free and unfettered access” to Gaza for foreign media.

The letter, sent by correspondents and presenters from the main broadcasting outlets based in Britain, including Sky News, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, also appeals for better protection for journalists already reporting in the territory.

Since October 7, more than 20 journalists have been killed every month in Gaza.

“Almost five months into the war in Gaza, foreign reporters are still being denied access to the territory, outside of the rare and escorted trips with the Israeli military,” the letter says.

“We urge the governments of Israel and Egypt to allow free and unfettered access to Gaza for all foreign media.

“We call on the government of Israel to openly state its permission for international journalists to operate in Gaza and for the Egyptian authorities to allow international journalists access to the Rafah Crossing.”

Some journalists have been invited to briefly “embed” with the Israeli military for escorted tours inside Gaza, but they were not allowed to talk to any of the Palestinians there.

The letter continued: “The need for comprehensive on-the-ground reporting of the conflict is imperative.”

Signatory Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s Middle East editor, said on Radio 4’s From Our Own Correspondent programme: “I can only surmise that Israel is not allowing reporters to work freely inside Gaza because their soldiers are doing things they do not want us to see.

“Reports from foreign journalists might back up Israel’s assertion that, to use a common phrase in Israel, ‘they are the most moral army in the world.’

“Or foreign journalists might uncover evidence that backs up those allegations of war crimes as well as the even more serious one of genocide – ’til we get in, we’ll never know.”