AA / Tunis / M. Belhaj
France strongly condemned, on Monday, Israeli military operations targeting several hospitals in the Gaza Strip, notably the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia.
“France condemns Israeli military operations targeting several hospitals in Gaza, notably that of Kamal Adwan, which is now out of service,” the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The attack, which occurred on Friday, caused a major fire in the medical establishment, forcing patients, healthcare staff and displaced civilians who had taken refuge there to evacuate the premises in dramatic conditions.
“France expresses its concern for the situation of its director, as well as patients and healthcare workers,” the ministry said, emphasizing the need to protect medical infrastructure in times of conflict.
On Sunday, the Gaza government's media office called on the international community to shed light on the fate of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, as well as that of healthcare workers.
“We call on the international community, humanitarian and human rights organizations, as well as the International Red Cross, to urgently intervene to shed light on the fate of Dr Hussam Abu Safia and that of healthcare personnel, to ensure their immediate release and provide them with the necessary protection, as well as to all detainees who are subjected to inhumane practices,” the media office said in a statement.
And to underline that “the reports according to which Abu Safia was subjected to serious abuse and psychological and physical pressure after his detention, including being forced to remove his medical uniform and to be used as a human shield, constitute a flagrant violation of all humanitarian values and all international conventions.”
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, wanted to remind Israel “of its obligation to comply with international humanitarian law, which particularly provides for the protection of hospital infrastructure”.
French diplomacy also launched an urgent appeal for a cessation of hostilities, declaring: “Faced with the absolute humanitarian emergency in Gaza, where the situation of civilians has been unacceptable for too long, France calls on the parties to negotiate a ceasefire without delay. -immediate and lasting fire, which alone will allow the massive entry of humanitarian aid through all access points to the Gaza Strip, the release of all hostages and the protection of all civilians.”
These events take place in a context where the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has caused more than 45,500 deaths among the Palestinian civilian population, including a majority of women and children and reduced the enclave. besieged in a state of ruins.
Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Strip. from Gaza.
Israel is also being prosecuted before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for “the crime of genocide”, due to the murderous war it is waging against the Gaza Strip.
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