LOC15:19
12:19 GMT
PARIS, July 21 (KUNA) -- France said on Monday that it was recalling the urgent need for immediate humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip which has been pummelled for 12 days by Israeli air, sea and land strikes, resulting in 500 dead, mostly civilians, and several thousand injured.
Gaza hospitals, some of which have also been shelled by Israel, are urgently calling for assistance and supplies to treat the many wounded. The bulk of the Gaza casualties are civilians, with many women and children among them.
"France recalls the necessity of an unfettered, immediate, humanitarian access, to the civilian populations of Gaza," Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said in answer to a KUNA question.
"The respect of international humanitarian law applies to both parties," Nadal added.
"We are giving humanitarian support to the civilian populations involved, either directly or through United Nations agencies or non-governmental organisations present on the ground," the spokesman indicated, but did not give details.
Foreign Minister "Laurent Fabius will have the opportunity to soon detail the increase in this aid," Nadal stated. (end)
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