Gaza: death of a Quai d’Orsay agent, injured during an Israeli bombardment

An agent of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs died following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, the Quai d’Orsay said on Saturday evening. In a press release, Paris “condemned” this bombing and demanded “that all light be shed by the Israeli authorities on the circumstances” of this tragedy. The victim, Ahmed S., had worked for France at the consulate general since 2002. He was of Palestinian nationality. He had found refuge for several days in the house of one of his colleagues at the consulate general, in Rafah, in the far south of the enclave.

The residence was hit Wednesday evening by a bombing which left around ten victims. The agent, who was able to be evacuated, ultimately died from his injuries. Part of his family, notably his wife and some of his children, were able to leave Gaza for France, as part of the evacuation system put in place by France. This operation included French people present in the Gaza Strip, agents of the French Institute and their relatives. The victim herself, however, chose to stay with some of her adult children, who had not been able to benefit from this system.

The head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna, said on Sunday from Israel that “too many civilians are being killed” in Gaza. That same day, the military operations that the Israeli army has been carrying out in the territory since October only intensified, particularly in the south of the area, where hundreds of thousands of war-displaced people have gathered.

Israeli bombings have left much of the territory in ruins and the UN estimates that 1.9 million Gazans are de facto internal refugees. Health services are overwhelmed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the emergency department of al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza has become “a bloodbath,” with hundreds of patients injured.

The survivors lack everything. "I wouldn't be surprised if people started dying of hunger, or a combination of hunger, disease and low immunity," Philippe Lazzarini, head of the health agency, told AFP. United Nations (UNRWA). To alleviate shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel, Israel began letting humanitarian aid in from the Kerem Shalom crossing on the border with Egypt on Friday.