Gaza –Situation of our nationals (November 7, 2023)

Two groups of French nationals, our staff and their families were able to leave Gaza yesterday and today via the Rafah crossing. They are safely in Egypt, where they are being looked after by the French Embassy and our Consulate General in Cairo, as well as teams from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Crisis and Support Center. The total number of people whose exit from Gaza was organized by France now exceeds 100.

We will continue our efforts over the coming days so that all our compatriots, our staff and their families may leave Gaza if they wish. This goal is central to France’s diplomatic efforts, including the visit by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on November 5.

The team at the Consulate General in Jerusalem has been in permanent contact with them since the start of the crisis and is continuing its efforts so that the last French nationals and staff members remaining in Gaza may now leave, if they wish to do so.

France thanks the Egyptian authorities for all their help in evacuating our nationals, our staff and their families from the Gaza Strip.

France stands alongside Egypt in increasing the humanitarian aid sent to the people of Gaza.

Q&A

Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) takes effect today. What consequences does France envision as a result?

France has condemned this decision since June. It undermines a treaty signed in 1990 with the aim of strengthening trust and reducing the risk of conflict on the European continent. With Russia’s withdrawal from the treaty, coming as it wages an illegal, unjustified war against Ukraine, it is once again choosing to disengage from existing conventional arms control frameworks and continuing to jeopardize Europe’s security architecture.

With regard to the consequences of this withdrawal and in respect of international law, France and its Allies who are states parties to the CFE have decided to suspend the treaty.

France remains fully committed to conventional arms control provisions and the fundamental principles underpinning them, including the principles laid down in the Helsinki Decalogue and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe.