Paris [France], December 18: The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has condemned the Israeli bombing of a residential building in Rafah that killed one of its staff in a region previously declared a safe zone.
"France condemns this bombing of a residential building which caused the death of many other civilians. We demand that all light be shed by the Israeli authorities on the circumstances of this bombing, as quickly as possible," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The house was hit on Wednesday evening, killing the employee and 10 others who had been sheltering with colleagues and their family members in the residential location.
The employee had been working with the French government in Gaza since 2002, and some of his family members had already been evacuated from Gaza, the ministry said, offering condolences.
The ministry statement is released at a time when external pressure on Israel is increasing due to its "indiscriminate" bombing raids in Gaza. More than 80 percent of the nearly 19,000 Palestinians killed are said to be civilians.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Sunday pressed for an "immediate and durable" truce in the Gaza war, adding Paris is "deeply concerned" over the situation in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
"Too many civilians are being killed," Colonna said during remarks in Tel Aviv with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, as Israel presses on with its offensive after the October 7 attacks that has sent tensions spiralling across the region. (Agencies)
Source: Qatar Tribune