France is going to evacuate injured or sick children from the Gaza Strip to treat them in French hospitals and, in addition, it will reinforce its aid to the area. The French president has announced it, Emmanuel Macron, in a message on Twitter (now X). He has insisted on the need for a immediate humanitarian truce so that aid can reach Gaza, leading to a subsequent ceasefire.
“France is mobilizing all the means at its disposal, especially air, so that (these children) can be treated in France”, where “measures have been taken to accommodate up to 50 patients” in French hospitals, detailed the president, who He recalled that “humanitarian aid must arrive as quickly and as safely as possible.”
Macron spoke by telephone on Saturday with the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah Al Sisi, and with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, to evaluate the situation. “As there are increasing civilian casualties in Gaza and hospitals and schools are bombed, the president recalled Israel’s obligation to respect the International humanitarian law and the need for a humanitarian truce,” the Elysée noted.
France is going to send an army plane at the beginning of the week with 10 tons of medical aid and two field hospitals with the capacity to accommodate 500 wounded each. Humanitarian materials will also be sent on European flights from November 23 to 30 and a hospital ship will set sail for Egypt this week. It will be used to treat the most serious cases.
After the Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7 and the Israeli response in Gaza, Macron has tried to show some balance in the conflict: He has defended Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas, but has insisted that it must comply with international law and not massacre civilians.