French politicians call for action after Israeli bombing of displaced people's camp in Rafah

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) – French politicians urged the government to act in response to Israel's bombing of a displaced people’s camp in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Sunday.

Following the strikes, images from the camp quickly spread on social media, prompting opposition politicians to express their outrage through their social media accounts, criticizing the Israeli government.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, a former deputy of the French National Assembly, described the events in Rafah as “horrifying."

"The abominable massacre of (people in) tents in the refugee camp in Gaza epitomizes the actions of the war criminals and their leader," said Melenchon.

He called for all forms of pressure to be applied to Israel to end this "horror," urging France to end its collaboration with the Israeli government, impose an embargo on arms exports and recognize the Palestinian state.

Melenchon accused French President Emmanuel Macron of "doing nothing" regarding the events in the region.

- 'Burned Palestinian refugees alive'

Thomas Portes, a lawmaker from the opposition Defiant France Party, wrote on X: "This so-called ‘incident’ is the assassination of dozens of civilians, some of whom were burned alive following the fire in the refugee camp tents."

"Tomorrow, the international community must raise the question of the future of the IDF as a military force," he said.

"The images coming from Rafah are unbearable. They are the result of the cowardice of governments that refuse to act.

"Those in France who continue to refuse to sanction Israel and impose an arms embargo tonight have blood on their hands," he emphasized.

At least 30 people were killed and dozens injured as Israel targeted a camp for displaced people in Rafah on Sunday.

The attack occurred near the logistics base of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in Tal al-Sultan, said the Gaza Media Office.

Israeli aircraft targeted several tents in the area, the media office said, adding that missiles and 2,000-pound bombs were used.

Earlier, Gaza’s civil defense force said it transported 50 people, including dead and injured, after the bombing. The targeted area sheltered at least 100,000 displaced people, it said.