Israel/Palestinian Territories – Reception of injured Palestinian children in French hospitals (28 December 2023)

France is extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and is continuing to make active efforts to help the civilian population.

In line with President Macron’s commitments, France is welcoming an initial two injured Palestinian children, who arrived in France today, Thursday 28 December. They were taken into care in pediatric hospital services. The Ministry of Health and Prevention, and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs through its Crisis and Support Centre and the French Embassy in Cairo, are working on a new operation to take in injured or seriously ill Palestinian children from next week onwards.

France thanks the Egyptian authorities for their support in enabling the evacuations to go ahead smoothly.

As Mme Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, recalled during her visit to Israel, we reiterate our call for a humanitarian truce, which must lead to a long-term ceasefire, to allow humanitarian aid to get through and injured people to be evacuated. Mme Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, Minister of Health and Prevention, recalled the French health system’s commitment to hosting children from Gaza who need medical care.