NEWSClarissa Ward Says Journalistic Access to Gaza Must Change as CNN Faces New Ownership
Clarissa Ward discussed journalism, Gaza access and CNN's changing future.
Oct. 2 2026, Published 2:54 a.m. ET
CNN chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward spoke about the challenges journalists face while covering conflicts around the world as the network entered a period of ownership changes.
During a recent interview, Ward was asked about her push for greater access to Gaza.
"One of your biggest crusades has been about a place you can’t report from — Gaza. Are there signs that the Israeli government is changing its stance and will journalists have more access, as you and others have been pushing for?" she was asked.
Ward shared her thoughts on the ongoing restrictions.
"There’s a massive amount of pressure but not really. And we need to. What you can get now just isn’t enough. I don’t want wide shots of rubble — I want an old man in a chair telling me his story. And also I can’t report with the same moral authority if I’m not there. No one can. So that really needs to change," she said.
CNN's Future Comes Into Focus With New Ownership
David Ellison moved closer to taking ownership of Warner Bros. Discovery as Clarissa Ward discussed changes at CNN.
Ward also addressed changes affecting CNN as David Ellison moved closer to taking ownership of Warner Bros. Discovery, which includes the news media company.
She had signed a one-year contract with CNN earlier in the year, which drew attention as the company's future ownership remained uncertain.
"There are so many things going on and you don’t want to rush into anything without a clear-eyed view in terms of how much is changing. So that’s where that was coming from," she said.
Clarissa Ward discussed CNN, MS NOW and Politico being barred from the White House press pool.
Ward also spoke about CNN, MS NOW and Politico being barred from the White House press pool.
She said the response from other news organizations showed support across the industry.
"It’s very concerning. But I think it’s also very encouraging to see the solidarity — look at what Fox News just did [in joining the other networks’ pool boycott]. Media companies realize a threat against some of us is a threat against all of us, even if they don’t agree on much else," she said.
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Clarissa Ward reported from southern Gaza in December 2023 after entering without an Israeli military escort.
Back in December 2023, Ward was among the international reporters who managed to enter and report from southern Gaza without an Israeli military escort. Per reports, she visited a field hospital in Rafah operated by the United Arab Emirates.
Per the Press Gazette UK, reflecting on the experience, she said, "We enjoyed a very privileged position on this occasion, we did feel relatively safe, we were only on the ground for a matter of hours."
Ward also spoke about what she saw during the visit.
"I can honestly say I don’t think we’ve ever seen it quite on this scale," she said.
International journalists have faced limited access to Gaza, leaving Palestinian journalists, aid workers and health workers among those documenting conditions on the ground.
Communications and internet access have also faced disruptions during the conflict.
Clarissa Ward discussed the challenges journalists faced while reporting from Iran.
Ward also pointed to Iran as another place where journalists face difficulties while trying to report on the ground.
"Totally. We mostly hear what the U.S. or Iran want us to hear, and the people of Iran lose when that happens. Everyone loses when that happens," she said.
The conversation also turned to the challenges of reporting from conflict zones.
"Absolutely. In every conflict there’s self-censoring but in these two it’s worse in many ways," the 46-year-old said.
Ward also named Sudan, particularly Darfur, as a place she wanted to cover more closely amid the country’s ongoing brutal 3+ year civil war.
