With Israel showing no signs of ending its bombardment of Gaza anytime soon, France on Sunday pressed for an “immediate and durable” truce, with its top diplomat saying “too many civilians are being killed”.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna was in Tel Aviv to hold talks with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen and convey France’s growing concerns over the situation in Gaza.
She also sought an explanation from Israel for its bombing of a residential building in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, which killed a French foreign ministry staffer. “We demand that all light be shed by the Israeli authorities on the circumstances of this bombing, as quickly as possible,” she was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera. Colonna’s statement comes as international pressure is mounting on Israel over its continuing attacks that, as per Gaza’s Hamas-controlled health ministry, have killed nearly 19,000 people. Last week, US President Joe Biden warned Israel it is starting to lose global support.
Meanwhile, CNN reported the US is planning to mount additional pressure with its defence secretary Llyod Austin planning to visit Tel Aviv next week to push Israeli officials to “define milestones for its war”.