France on Tuesday called on Israel to remove all barriers to humanitarian aid in Gaza Strip and ensure the protection of U.N. personnel, warning that conditions remain “catastrophic,” as its U.N. envoy Jerome Bonnafont said a fragile cease-fire persists.
Speaking at the U.N. Security Council meeting, Bonnafont said the cease-fire in Gaza remains fragile despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
"France calls upon Israel to lift all obstructions to the delivery of assistance, to protect UN personnel and facilities,” he said, stressing the need "to facilitate medical evacuations through the WHO.”
Bonnafont noted that six months after the adoption of a U.N. resolution endorsing a U.S.-backed peace plan, the situation in Gaza has seen little improvement, with the humanitarian crisis still severe.
"The cease-fire remains precarious, the humanitarian situation remains catastrophic,” he said, adding that France expects "tangible improvements in the situation of the Palestinian people” in the next phase.
