By Servet Gunerigok
WASHINGTON (AA) - French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne urged the international community on Tuesday to come together and contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza, which is facing ongoing Israeli attacks.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Gaza, Sejourne described the situation in the Palestinian enclave as "tragic" and said "the full international community must be mobilized to rebuild Gaza.”
"In light of what has been played out between Israelis and Palestinians, there are two options for this council," he said, citing those who choose division and those who choose to invade their neighbor as Ukraine, as in the Middle East, and seek division rather than unity.
"I, for my part, will make a different choice by saying two things; we can, we must stand alongside both Israelis and Palestinians. And we can, and we must say difficult things to both sides," said Sejourne.
"France is a friend of Israel, just as it is a friend of the Palestinian people. Hence, I must say to Israel, which understands the friendship of the French people, that there must be a Palestinian state, and that violence towards the Palestinian people, particularly that committed by extremist settlers, must end, and that international law applies to everyone.”
While calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in the hands of the Palestinian group Hamas, Sejourne said the people in Gaza are experiencing suffering.
"We must act in favor of the civilian population in Gaza and we must establish a cease-fire. The suffering that they've experienced is appalling," he said.
Israel has mounted a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed 1,200 people.
At least 25,490 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 63,354 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.