France repeats 'strong opposition' to any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah

RFI

7 May 2024 at 6:15 am·1-min read

The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has repeated that it is firmly opposed to any Israeli plans to launch a military ground offensive against the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

A statement from the ministry also warned that the forced displacement of a civilian population constitutes a war crime, according to international law.

"France reiterates its strong opposition to an Israeli offensive on Rafah, where over 1.3 million people have taken refuge at a time of great distress," the statement reads.

"The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs repeated this message during his trip to Israel last week and the President of France shared the same statement with the Israeli Prime Minister yesterday.

The statement concludes: "Our position is clear: the hostages must be freed immediately and a lasting ceasefire must enable the civilian population to receive the protection that they need."

The French government also maintained its position that the Palestinian militant group Hamas immediately release all hostages, and that parties to the conflict agree to a permanent ceasefire to protect the civilian population.

Rafah evacuation

Israel's military began evacuating Rafah on Monday and instructed the inhabitants of the eastern part of the city move to the al-Mawasi camp on the Mediterranean.

(with newswires)

The Telegraph
The case against Israel has just collapsed
By rights, this should be the moment that the humanitarian case against Israel’s campaign in Gaza goes into terminal collapse. From now on, there can be no equivocation. Those who persist in opposing the war based on the number of civilian casualties are either ignorant or arguing in bad faith. Or both.
The Daily Beast
Biden Camp Has a Field Day With Wobbly Trump at Podium
XThe Biden campaign gleefully turned one of Donald Trump’s favorite digs against him on Saturday, branding the 78-year-old candidate as woefully geriatric in response to his embarrassing stumble at a Minnesota rally on Friday.Video from the event shared by Biden-Harris HQ on X showed Trump grabbing the lectern during his remarks on stage, after nearly toppling the podium over.A feeble Trump nearly falls down on stage after he leans on his podium too hard and then goes on an angry rant calling hi
The Telegraph
‘I have never in my lifetime seen as much anger’: how Ireland’s migration system was overwhelmed
Pub landlord Brian Moore, 54, is busy with customers enjoying a late lunch before they head out into the sunshine.
The Independent
Trump appears to freeze for 30 seconds on stage during NRA speech
Biden and Trump campaigns continue to trade barbs over accusations candidates are senile
INSIDER
Trump's hush money verdict hinges on a single piece of paper. See the most important evidence in the case.
It's called People's Exhibit 35 — and its "Holy @#&!" contents will clinch or crash Donald Trump's hush money case. We walk you through it here.
The Daily Beast
Trump Ends NRA Speech With ‘Horror’ Warning Set to Dramatic QAnon Music
Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesDonald Trump followed up his endorsement by the National Rifle Association on Saturday with a speech stoking fears of the government under Joe Biden “coming for your guns,” and a bizarre monologue set to dramatic music resembling a song favored by QAnon.Addressing thousands of members of the NRA at their annual meeting in Texas, the former president stuck to his usual talking points, hailing the reversal of Roe v. Wade as an “amazing thing,” comparing himself to Al Ca
The Telegraph
Donald Trump’s lawyer fighting to stop former president from testifying in trial next week
Donald Trump’s defence lawyer won plaudits for his aggressive handling this week of Michael Cohen, one of the key witnesses in the ongoing “hush money” case against the former president.
The Independent
Helicopter carrying Iranian president involved in accident as rescuers struggle to reach scene
Iranian President’s life at risk with information emerging from scene of crash described as ‘very concerning’ by official
The Telegraph
Putin targets German speakers in Russia in search for cannon fodder
Russia has launched a propaganda drive targeting German speakers for its army and Wagner mercenary force in the latest case of Vladimir Putin seeking ethnic minorities to be cannon fodder.
CNN
The phone call that may upend the Trump NY hush money case
Gene Rossi and Leslie Ellis join The Lead
The Telegraph
Remainers are incapable of admitting the truth about the EU, and Europe’s shift Right
Suppose that David Cameron had returned from Brussels in February 2016 with something tangible. Perhaps he had acquired the right to deny benefits to new EU immigrants. Or perhaps he had recovered control of fisheries policy. Or maybe Britain had opted out of the EU’s criminal justice system.
Business Insider
Russia is finally getting serious about its war, and it spells trouble for Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin's war machine looks different today than it did at the start of the conflict.
The Daily Beast
Reporter Puts Trump on the Spot Over His 2020 Vow on Minnesota
KSTPIn an interview with a St. Paul, Minnesota reporter that aired a few days before his scheduled appearance Friday at the state GOP Lincoln Day fundraising dinner, former President Donald Trump denied saying that he wouldn’t return to the Midwest state if he lost it in 2020—but the local ABC affiliate brought the receipts to prove otherwise.KSTP reporter Tom Hauser spoke with Trump over a video call conducted Tuesday before the indicted ex-president went to court to hear testimony from his for
HuffPost
Trump Complains 'I Have The Only' Illegal NDA While His Lawyers Claim He Knew Nothing Of It
In trying to argue that nondisclosure agreements are common and legal, Trump contradicted his lawyers' story that he wasn’t aware of the deal.
Reuters
Finland to present plan to push back migrants on Russian border
Finland will propose a law next week allowing border agents to block asylum seekers trying to enter from Russia, the prime minister said on Sunday, a decision that could cause Helsinki to temporarily breach its international commitments. Finland shut its border with Russia last year to stop a growing number of arrivals from countries including Syria and Somalia, and accused Moscow of weaponising migration against it and the European Union, an assertion the Kremlin denies. Finland annoyed Russia last year by abandoning its long-held military non-alignment and joining the NATO alliance in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Liverpool Echo
Kids are going hungry and the country is on its knees, so lets get rid of those lanyards
Latest government announcements show they have no interest in fixing the country - they just want to stoke the culture wars
INSIDER
Here's how the Trump family spends their billions, from a $11 million beachfront estate in St. Martin to a $15 million fleet of private aircraft
Former President Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has a net worth of $7.5 billion, according to a May 2024 Forbes estimate.
The Telegraph
The West has yet to grasp we have moved fast into a world crisis that leads to war
Isolationism is a good instinct but a bad policy. The difference between home and everywhere else is vital to the human psyche and to national existence. Logically, it leads to respect for others: they have their homes, too, so neither should interfere with the other.
The Telegraph
The damage lockdown did to our democracy is finally becoming clear
The Conservative Government is presumably about to be ejected from office. This is being treated as a judgment on their record of 14 years in power, their general incompetence and their failure to deliver what voters believe is needed.
The Telegraph
Fraudsters have stolen almost £1bn from Ministry of Defence since 2010
Fraudsters have stolen almost £1 billion from the Ministry of Defence since 2010, official figures show.

Rafah evacuation

Latest stories