23/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - On 22 January, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) headed a delegation of European and Arab journalist unions into Gaza, just hours before Israel finally opened the area to the world press. The aim of the mission was to support local journalists and to investigate the problems facing media during the conflict. The IFJ mainly supports the establishment of an international inquiry into the allegations of violations of international law by Israel and Hamas. Aidan White, IFJ Secretary General, said the “the situation of journalists in Gaza was already intolerable without military activity and this latest conflict has not made it any better”. Condemning the fact that journalists had been prohibited from entering the territory by Israel, he also criticises the acts of intimidation and manipulation of the media that Hamas has carried out for a long while. Now that the violence has stopped, it is time for all sides, especially Hamas, to allow journalists to work freely”, he said. (A.B./transl.jl)