On Sky News this week, we are showcasing a film about the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has now surpassed 620 days.
It is a deeply disturbing viewing experience.
Large sections of Gaza’s medical infrastructure have been destroyed, numerous buildings in the territory have been ruined, and tens of thousands of Gazans have been killed, injured, and left hungry and malnourished in a conflict predominantly fought from the air with heavy ordinance being dropped on densely populated civilian areas.
These striking eyewitness accounts are not presented by experienced international war correspondents—who are prevented from entering Gaza—but rather by two British medics whose primary mission was to save lives, not to document the horrors of war.
The fact that visiting surgeons Victoria Rose and Tom Potokar felt compelled to report these conditions speaks volumes not only about the tragedy unfolding in Gaza but also about the significant restrictions imposed on reporting the events there.
Historically, the presence of journalists on the battlefield has been crucial in holding combatants accountable and in uncovering and preventing war crimes and atrocities.
Israel is accused of severe violations in Gaza.
Since initiating its conflict in response to the Hamas terror attacks of October 7th, 2023, during which about 1,200 Israelis and other nationals were murdered and a further 250 taken hostage, over 55,000 Palestinians have been killed according to Gazan health authorities. Many of the victims are women and children.
Former US State Department official Matt Miller has stated on the Sky News Trump100 podcast that Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza. Former UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths has gone further, stating on Sky News that Israel is responsible for genocide there.
This accusation is supported by Ireland, Spain, and South Africa, which is pursuing Israel for genocide at the International Court of Justice – the UN’s highest court.
Jonathan Levy. Pic: Sky News
Israel denies the allegations against it, contending that many of the deceased are Hamas fighters hiding in tunnels beneath hospitals, which they claim is a justification for their attacks in self-defense.
Israeli officials and diplomats reject claims that their military targets women and children and express outrage over accusations of ethnic cleansing or genocide, charges that are heavy with implications for the Jewish people.
Yet, Israel’s assertion of its conduct’s integrity does not extend to a willingness to allow international journalists into Gaza to witness the situation firsthand.
Military-organised ’embeds’ fall short of independent journalism
Throughout the course of its longest war, no reporters have been permitted to enter Gaza, except for a few controlled “embeds” lasting only a few hours, paired with Israeli soldiers.
These managed excursions fall well below the standards of independent journalism. For Sky News and other global news organisations, such journalism must rely on trusted and brave local reporting teams, who lack the support and infrastructure to provide a seamless picture of events.
And these Palestinian journalists have paid a steep price; according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 185 of them have been killed during the war and 86 imprisoned.
The Foreign Press Association, representing the interests of international journalists in Israel, has petitioned its High Court of Justice to lift the ban on reporting independently from Gaza.
Thus far, that legal action has not been successful, with last month’s court hearing postponed without reason or specifying a new date.
Israeli officials contest the necessity and feasibility of journalists operating independently in Gaza. They assert that their military’s priority is the rescue of hostages and the fight against Hamas, and the safety of reporters cannot be guaranteed.
However, Sky News and other news organizations have previously operated in Gaza during conflicts, providing the Israel Defence Forces with details of their location and movements.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Tap to follow
‘We accept the risks’
Furthermore, we have extensive experience covering conflict zones, and our journalists are highly trained to do so. The risks are real; they are risks we accept. It’s our profession.
The continued denial of access feels more about preventing proper scrutiny and accountability of the dire situation in Gaza and less about journalists’ safety.
Medics treating patients in Gaza
The obstruction of international journalists is coupled with the active discrediting of war reporting, which is often shamelessly labeled as anti-Semitic and compared to the most heinous periods in Jewish history.
Altogether, this constitutes a war on truth that is at odds with Israel’s proud and frequently stated claim to be the Middle East’s only democracy, and it should not be permitted to continue.
Gaza: Doctors On The Frontline will air on Sky News at 9pm on 19 June
