France to host humanitarian conference amid ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict
Nov 04, 2023
Paris [France], November 4: French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday that France would host a "humanitarian conference" on Nov. 9 amid the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict that has caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Macron described the gathering, within the framework of the upcoming Paris Peace Forum, as an opportunity for a "humanitarian truce."
On Friday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna expressed her "astonishment" and "incomprehension" after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bombarded the French Institute in Gaza.
On Thursday, the office of Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Gaza was bombarded by the IDF.
"The AFP condemns in the strongest terms this strike on its office in Gaza City. Its location is known to everyone and has been recalled several times in recent days, precisely to prevent such an attack and allow us to continue to bear witness in images on the ground," AFP CEO Fabrice Fries said on Friday.
The conflict has killed more than 9,200 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and at least 1,400 Israelis, according to official figures from both sides.
On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, firing thousands of rockets and infiltrating Israeli territory, while Israel responded with airstrikes, ground operations, and punitive measures that included a siege of the Gaza Strip.
Source: Xinhua
