France has expressed its willingness, alongside Europe, to help ensure safer food distribution in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on Saturday.
His remarks come during rising criticism over the increasing number of civilian casualties at Israeli-backed food distribution points within Gaza.
Barrot highlighted that any such assistance would also address Israeli concerns regarding armed groups, including Hamas, potentially diverting humanitarian aid.
He voiced outrage over the deaths of “500 people who have lost their lives during food distribution” in Gaza recently.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed as a “blood libel” a report published by the left-leaning newspaper Haaretz, which revealed that military commanders had instructed soldiers to shoot Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, aid organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) condemned the Israeli- and US-supported food distribution operation as “slaughter disguised as humanitarian aid.”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also spoke out on Friday, urging that people in Gaza who are hungry must not be condemned to a “death sentence” when attempting to access food.
The Gaza health ministry reported that since late May, over 500 individuals have been killed near aid centres while trying to obtain desperately needed supplies.
