During a press conference in Paris alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné criticized the Israeli airstrike which resulted in the killing of seven individuals associated with the US-based charity World Central Kitchen.
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné condemned, on Tuesday, the Israeli airstrike that that killed seven people working for the US-based charity World Central Kitchen, during a press conference in Paris with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“We’ve spoken directly to the Israeli government about this particular incident. We’ve urged a swift, a thorough and impartial investigation to understand exactly what happened,” Blinken told reporters, reiterating the need to protect humanitarian workers.
Séjourné said France “strongly condemns” the killing of the aid workers. “Protecting humanitarian workers is a moral and legal imperative that everyone must adhere to,” he added. “Nothing justifies such a tragedy.”
Paris also advocated for a permanent ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
The French minister was in Cairo on Saturday to discuss the Gaza war and in China on Monday to urge Beijing to press Russia over the Ukraine war.
The French foreign ministry stated that Séjourné and Blinken will touch on preparations for a NATO summit in Washington in July, as well as the “crises” in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan.
Support for Ukraine
Blinken stated that further Western support for Ukraine is “imperative” during the joint press conference.
“We are working day in, day out to prevent the ongoing bolstering of Russia’s war machine,” he said, insisting that Ukraine’s allies must “build a stronger industrial base” and continue to procure munitions.
Speaking alongside the top US diplomat, Séjourné said France would propose EU-wide sanctions on Russian companies spreading “disinformation”.
“I will propose putting forward a sanctions’ regime against those who support a regime of disinformation,” said Séjourné.
France is among the largest military suppliers to Ukraine, which has faced significant shortages of weapons and soldiers as it fends off an onslaught of Russian attacks.
The United States has been the key military backer for Ukraine but a $60 billion aid package has been held up in Congress.
Both sides want an “intensification” of support for Ukraine, a member of Séjourné’s entourage stated.
