PARIS (Reuters)-France began on Friday a 40-tonne air release of humanitarian aid in Gaza, while asking Israel to allow full access to the area that, according to her, is on the brink of hunger.
“Given the absolute urgency, we just conducted an air launching operation in Gaza. Thanks to our Jordanian partners, Emiradenses and Germans for their support and our military personnel for their commitment,” wrote President Emmanuel Macron on the social media platform X.
“Aerial launches are not enough. Israel needs to open total humanitarian access to address the risk of hunger,” he added.
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Earlier this day, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had told the broadcaster Franceinfo that France was sending four flights with 10 tons of humanitarian aid each to Gaza from Jordan.
A global hunger monitor said on Tuesday that a hunger scenario was unfolding in the Gaza Strip, with malnutrition increasing, children under the age of five dying of causes related to severely restricted hunger and humanitarian access.
France has participated six times in the European Humanitarian Bridge created in mid -October 2023 by the European Union to Jordan and Egypt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, Macron’s office said.
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The European air bridge allowed the organization of more than 60 flights carrying more than 3,350 tons of humanitarian load, with most donations in cash transiting through Egypt and Jordan, according to the Macron Office.
Part of this help has not yet entered Gaza due to the lack of authorization from Israeli authorities, the president said.
(By Dominique Vidalon; Michel Rose Additional Report)
