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Yingst devoted a significant portion of his acceptance speech to this media blackout.
“May we not forget their sacrifice and contributions to our industry. Let me also reiterate the position that international journalists must be given independent access to Gaza to report,” Yingst stated.²
He specifically highlighted Palestinian journalists who remain trapped in Gaza, pointing out that they *”do not have the luxuries we are afforded to simply leave when the story becomes too dangerous.”*² These journalists are covering the war while losing their homes, struggling for food, and witnessing colleagues killed—without any escape or break.
“We must hold governments and militaries accountable for their actions. And we must continue to be a voice for the voiceless,” Yingst concluded.²
Israel’s Unprecedented Media Restrictions
NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf has reported on the Gaza conflict since October 2023 but has never been allowed entry.¹ She explained, *”Pretty much the only access outside journalists, including Israeli journalists, have been allowed into Gaza is on highly controlled, very selective embeds with the Israeli military.”*¹
Legal efforts to challenge the ban have failed. The Foreign Press Association in Israel petitioned the country’s Supreme Court for independent access, but the first petition in early 2024 was rejected as a *”balanced and reasonable policy.”*³ A second petition filed in September 2024 has faced repeated delays, and the court recently granted another 30-day extension rather than issuing a ruling—even after a ceasefire began in October 2025.⁴
While Israel claims the restrictions protect journalists and troops, critics argue the goal is to control the narrative.
“Any situation where independent media are kept out or targeted gives rise to questions about the motivation,” said Phil Chetwynd, global news director at Agence France-Presse. *”We are told it is because of our safety, but we have been covering wars non-stop for the past 100 years.”*⁵
Clayton Weimers of Reporters Without Borders called the ban *”pretty unprecedented for an entire territory to be blocked off for such a sustained period of time.”*⁶
Even seasoned correspondents like Joe Federman of the Associated Press, who has covered five wars in Gaza, admit this is a first. “Even the longest war, which was 2014, we were able to work out a system to get people in and out while the war was still going on,” Federman stated.¹
Why Press Freedom in Gaza Matters
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 192 journalists have been killed covering the Gaza conflict, at least 184 of them Palestinian.⁷ Gaza has become the deadliest war for journalists in recorded history.
Palestinian journalists already in Gaza have carried the full burden of coverage for two years, risking their lives and well-being. Thirty-year-old freelance journalist Shrouq Aila posted a desperate plea on Instagram after Israel broke the ceasefire:
*”This is a call to foreign journalists outside Gaza. You need to push harder to get access to come help report on the ground. We as journalists are physically and emotionally exhausted, displaced, bombarded, grieving, starving, yet still forced to stand before the cameras to report on the massacres.”*⁶
Over 200 international media outlets participated in a blackout campaign in November 2025 to protest Israel’s restrictions, while French journalist unions filed a legal complaint accusing Israel of *”obstructing the freedom to inform.”*⁸ Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed these efforts as political gamesmanship.³
Yingst’s Credibility on the Frontlines
Yingst has reported firsthand from Gaza through military embeds, witnessing Hamas tunnels and weapons caches beneath civilian areas.⁹ He understands the security challenges but stresses that controlled embeds are no substitute for independent reporting.
“In any war zone there are always restrictions or censorship,” said NPR’s Lonsdorf. *”But, you know, I’ve covered Russia’s war in Ukraine as well, and there you can get fairly close to the front lines. You can talk to the people most affected by the violence, and you can see the destruction with your own eyes.”*¹
Even brief embeds, like one granted to ABC Australia in August 2025, are heavily vetted and limited.⁵ Yingst’s call for accountability shines in contrast to the silence from much of the mainstream media.
Press Freedom Isn’t Partisan
Whether viewers support Israel or not, independent journalism in war zones is essential. Blocking journalists prevents the world from seeing the full story and holding all parties accountable. Trey Yingst’s speech at the Foreign Press Awards is a reminder that press freedom matters—especially when governments try to control the narrative.
Yingst got this one right.
