Gaza Reveals Devastation After Limited Media Access
Gaza Strip – Following months of restricted access, fifteen international media outlets, including Le Monde, were granted a three-hour supervised tour of areas within the Gaza Strip controlled by the Israeli army, revealing widespread destruction and displacement. The access, granted today, comes amid calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for an end to the fighting and after the Israeli army claimed to cease offensive military operations.
Since October 7,2023,Israel has prohibited autonomous foreign journalist entry into Gaza. The coordinated tour,overseen by the Israeli military,allowed limited access to approximately 82% of the territory,according to the United Nations’ coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This access highlights the extent of the conflict’s impact, previously largely unseen by independant observers.
In areas near the border, described by the Israeli goverment as a “safety perimeter” intended to persist even with a ceasefire, complete obliteration is evident. Agricultural structures have been systematically leveled. In the southern suburbs of Gaza City, remnants of neighborhoods lie in ruins, with infrastructure like mosques and commercial areas reduced to rubble.A children’s play area is now a heap of twisted metal and plastic. The United Nations reports that 97% of schools in Gaza have sustained damage or been destroyed.
