France offers to help make Gaza food distribution safer
His comments came as criticism grew over mounting civilian deaths at Israeli-backed food distribution centres in the territory
France "stands ready, Europe as well, to contribute to the safety of food distribution" in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Saturday.
His comments came as criticism grew over mounting civilian deaths at Israeli-backed food distribution centres in the territory.
Such an initiative, he added, would also deal with Israeli concerns that armed groups such as Hamas were getting hold of the aid.
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Barrot expressed anger over "the 500 people who have lost their life in food distribution" in Gaza in recent weeks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyanu on Friday denounced as a "blood libel" a report in left-leaning daily Haaretz alleging that military commanders had ordered soldiers to fire at Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid in Gaza
Aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Friday denounced the Israel- and US-backed food distribution effort in Gaza as "slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid".
And UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that hungry people in Gaza seeking food must not face a "death sentence".
The health ministry in Gaza, a territory controlled by Hamas, says that since late May, more than 500 people have been killed near aid centres while seeking scarce supplies.
