French MP alerts public to 'ongoing genocide' in Gaza as he returns from region

By Umit Donmez

PARIS (AA) - Eric Coquerel, an Unbowed France MP, who recently visited the Rafah crossing with a delegation of French lawmakers, expressed deep concerns about the situation in Gaza during a Palestine demonstration held Saturday in Paris.

Coquerel described to Anadolu an alarming situation marked by testimonies from doctors that convinced him that a "genocide" is taking place in the Gaza Strip.

He stressed that the main objective of the delegation was to alert the French about the necessity of a cease-fire.

"We came back with the absolute certainty that a genocide was underway. It is now essential to alert public opinion so that there is an international reaction to avoid a catastrophe -- it's a matter of days," he said.

Regarding recent actions by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly the possible launch of a military operation in Rafah, Coquerel expressed fears.

"After asking the Palestinians to leave the north of the Gaza Strip towards the south, and then to Rafah, he is now bombing this region and asking them to evacuate to Egypt. If this happens, it will lead to a definitive exodus and the disappearance of the Gaza population. That's what he wants," he said.

The lawmaker highlighted the catastrophic living conditions in the region, exacerbated by the rapid increase in the population and the massive destruction of infrastructure. "There is no more drinking water, no more sewage system, no more shelter. The conditions are terrible. It's chaos," he said, insisting on the urgent need for mobilization against the risk of genocide.

Coquerel's statements raise important questions about the situation in Gaza and the responsibility of the international community as tensions and violence intensify.

- Situation in Rafah

Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, has become a refuge for more than half of the 2 million displaced Palestinians following relentless Israeli attacks since Oct. 7.

The population in Rafah, which was about 280,000 before the attacks, has dramatically increased, exceeding 1.4 million. The majority live in precarious conditions in makeshift camps.

Despite warnings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against acts that may constitute genocide, Israel seems to persist in its attacks. The recently announced decision by Netanyahu of launching a ground offensive in Rafah has exacerbated fears of a new humanitarian tragedy.

The UNOCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), in a Feb. 2 report, stated that the situation in Rafah had reached a "tipping point," underscoring the urgency of humanitarian intervention.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said Thursday that Israel's destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza constitutes a "serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and a war crime."

Since Oct. 7, the Israeli army has been waging an unrelenting war in Gaza, killing 28,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 68,000 others, according to the Health Ministry of the Palestinian enclave.

The conflict has also caused "massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster," according to the UN.

The official Palestinian news agency, WAFA, reported Saturday that "25 people fell as martyrs" during Israeli attacks in the Rafah region.

On Thursday, France expressed concern about the situation near the Rafah crossing point. During a news conference, Christophe Lemoine, the deputy spokesman for the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, condemned Israeli strikes affecting "civilians and civilian infrastructure" in Gaza.

He demanded an "immediate and lasting cease-fire" in the Middle East.