PARIS, Oct 31 Two French children died in the Gaza Strip , the French Foreign Ministry said in a communiqué.
“France learned with sadness of the death of two children of French nationality who were in the north of the Gaza Strip with their mother, who was injured, as well as a third child,” the text of the communiqué says.
The French Consulate in Jerusalem has not yet been able to establish contact with her. “At the moment we are not able to check the situation of this family,” the Foreign Ministry clarified.
“We again demand that foreign citizens and, in particular, our fellow citizens, be able to leave Gaza. The Foreign Ministry services are actively working in this direction,” the text notes.
France recalls the demand for an “immediate humanitarian truce” to ensure unhindered and rapid access to humanitarian assistance, the department noted.
Earlier, the official representative of the French Cabinet, Olivier Veran, said that the French Navy helicopter carrier Tonner, which will act as a floating hospital, will reach Gaza in the “coming days.” French President Emmanuel Macron also reported that France plans to evacuate about 170 of its citizens living in the Gaza Strip in the near future.
35 French citizens died in Hamas attacks against Israel. Nine people are listed as missing.
On October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. After this, the organization’s fighters penetrated into the border areas in southern Israel. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days, the Israeli military took control of all populated areas near the border with Gaza and began carrying out air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was stopped.
The number of victims in the Gaza Strip exceeded 8.5 thousand people, over 21 thousand were injured. In Israel, according to local authorities, more than 1.3 thousand people died. The Russian Embassy reported that during the escalation of the conflict, 20 Russians were killed, two were taken hostage, and seven were listed as missing. According to various sources, about 150 Israelis may be held captive by Hamas. The movement itself stated that there are about 200-250 prisoners in the Gaza Strip.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the settlement of the Middle East crisis is possible only on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, related to the territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created.