Israel Accused of Imposing Media Blackout in Occupied Southern Lebanon, Blocking UN Peacekeeper Access

UN peacekeepers have been prevented from arranging journalist visits to Israeli-occupied southern Lebanon for weeks, a UNIFIL spokesman told The National, amid growing accusations of a media blackout. Journalists have embedded with the UN Interim Force for Lebanon (UNIFIL) on several occasions since a June ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. These visits were among the few avenues for accessing the occupied territory, which Israel designates as a buffer zone. They allowed reporters to document the few predominantly Christian villages that remain inhabited, as well as the systematic destruction of largely depopulated Muslim villages.

“At the moment, we cannot conduct media visits south of the so-called yellow line,” the UNIFIL spokesman stated. “This has been the case for the past few weeks.” He added that UNIFIL had no information on when such visits would be permitted to resume. Elsy Moufarrej, president of the Union of Journalists in Lebanon, informed The National that the union had received multiple complaints from journalists denied access to the zone recently. She accused Israel of enforcing a “media blackout” that hinders independent reporting on “potential crimes and violations,” stating, “It also deprives these communities of a voice and violates the public's right to know.”

Israel occupied an area extending 10km to 12km into Lebanon during its war with Hezbollah, which reignited in March. The Israeli military initiated a ground invasion, forcing residents to evacuate the south before establishing its security zone. Since then, Israel has significantly restricted movement in and out of the occupied area, maintaining control through military positions, strikes, forced displacement orders, and access limitations.

The charity Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the restrictions on journalists entering the zone, accusing the Israeli military of repurposing coordination mechanisms, intended to facilitate safe access, into tools of censorship. “It is unacceptable that Lebanese journalists are denied access or prevented from entering Lebanese territory,” said Jonathan Dagher, head of RSF’s Middle East office. “Ceasefire agreements and military considerations must no longer serve as a pretext to obstruct the right to information and threaten the safety of journalists.”

While some communities, such as the Sunni Muslim village of Kfarshouba, remain accessible from the Lebanese side, predominantly Christian villages deeper within the territory are effectively besieged, with movement subject to Israeli permission. Traveling with UNIFIL had previously offered journalists rare opportunities to reach these communities. The media restriction appears to have begun in mid-September, following visits to the occupied zone by journalists from international news organizations. Téa Ziade, a French-Lebanese freelance journalist, had her trip scheduled with UNIFIL on September 25 cancelled minutes before departure. “We had submitted all our papers to UNIFIL. Everything was in order,” she recounted. “A UNIFIL lieutenant told us: ‘It’s the journalists. No journalists are allowed in the convoy.’” She received no immediate explanation but was later informed by UNIFIL that a proper deconfliction process had not occurred. No UNIFIL journalist embeds have taken place since.

The Israeli military confirmed to The National that it had discussed journalist access with UNIFIL. “Following incidents in which journalists entered the security zone without prior coordination and published footage revealing the locations of troops, the issue was discussed with UNIFIL,” a military spokesperson stated. However, another Israeli military official alleged that journalists had entered the occupied zone concealed within convoys and “shared photographs, which showed the location of our troops, with Hezbollah operatives or people connected to Hezbollah operatives.” This official did not provide evidence or identify the journalists or news organizations involved. When pressed on this accusation, an Israeli military spokesperson appeared to modify the claim, suggesting that publicly available information about Israeli troop positions could be exploited by Hezbollah, rather than direct sharing of information.

The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that Israeli forces have killed at least 16 journalists and media workers in Lebanon since October 2023. Among them was Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah, killed by Israeli tank fire in October 2023 in an attack that wounded six other journalists and which Human Rights Watch described as a war crime. In April 2026, Al Akhbar journalist Amal Khalil was killed in an Israeli strike while reporting from the security zone during a ceasefire, and her colleague Zeinab Faraj was seriously wounded.

Humanitarian and civilian convoys, which had also provided journalists a route into the occupied zone, have also faced increasing restrictions. Sources within UNIFIL and other organizations indicate that access now requires “prior deconfliction arrangements, usually through humanitarian convoys,” according to Ms. Moufarrej. Deconfliction with the Israeli army typically involves communication with UNIFIL or a US and French-led group established to monitor the ceasefire, intended to arrange safe passage. “However, Israeli forces have reportedly begun preventing these convoys from entering if journalists accompany them,” she added. A humanitarian worker who frequently travels into the occupied territory noted that Israeli soldiers have significantly tightened checks at checkpoints, inspecting every vehicle to confirm no journalists were aboard. These checks were not previously routine, the worker stated. “Israeli soldiers now come out of their base and check every person inside the car to make sure their identity matches the approved list.”

An Israeli army spokesperson stated that the military reviews journalists’ requests to enter the occupied zone on a “case-by-case basis,” without detailing the approval procedures. “Areas where military operations are taking place pose genuine security risks, requiring measures to protect the lives of journalists on the ground, as well as the safety of [Israeli] troops,” the spokesperson added. “This policy is intended to enable journalistic coverage to the extent possible, without endangering human lives or compromising the safety of troops and their operational activities.” Ms. Ziade rejected the Israeli army’s security justification, questioning, “If we cannot go to the south, how are we supposed to tell the story of the occupation? We lose part of the meaning of this profession, the ability to build trust and intimacy with people. Without journalists on the ground, there is also a question of accountability and impunity.”

Access for journalists has consistently been challenging. In July, a vetted humanitarian convoy, which included The National, was barred at the last minute by the Israeli army, with UNIFIL suggesting media presence as the likely reason. It has now become practically impossible, with no journalists allowed inside the security zone since the end of September. “What worries me is that this justification could come to be accepted by the international community, and that we, as journalists, will simply be expected to accept it too,” Ms. Ziade expressed. “And that is how, little by little, a territory becomes closed to journalists.”

The restrictions have also impacted civilians. Israeli forces suspended convoys to Debel and Rmeish for three days after journalists entered the occupied zone, according to a humanitarian worker. Residents confirmed they were prevented from entering or leaving during this period, with Israeli military officials reportedly accusing journalists of unauthorized entry. The Israeli military official denied a policy of collective punishment, stating troops paused the convoy to investigate the incident. “It is unacceptable that a civilian area is isolated for three days simply for having hosted journalists,” stated Mr. Dagher from RSF. The suspension temporarily cut off a vital link for these communities, leading to fears about speaking to the media. A locally elected official from Debel, who requested anonymity, conveyed the implicit message: “There are a lot of mistakes happening, be careful. If there are more mistakes there won't be any more convoys. People got scared. They need these convoys to access hospitals, doctors and supplies.”