Statements by Emmanuel Macron: February 7 is a national tribute to the French, the victims of October 7 in Israel

During his press conference on Tuesday evening, Emmanuel Macron put to rest a nagging question that has long been the subject of debate: yes or no, will France pay a national tribute to the French people killed in Hamas? Terrorist attack in Israel on October 7? “France has lost forty-one of its children,” the president said with a serious face, recalling that it was “the deadliest terrorist attack since the Nice attack” in July 2016.

A way to end the controversy once and for all, suggesting that their dual citizenship, French-Israeli, will not make them victims deserving of respect, like, unfortunately, Charlie, Hyper Casher, Bataclan and others. And the Head of State solemnly announced: “On February 7, at the monument to the victims of terrorism in the Garden of Invalids, I will pay tribute to these victims, together with their loved ones, their families and all those who would like to join us. . Four months will pass after the terrorist attack.” National tributes followed the 2015 attacks, especially at Les Invalides.

In addition to the deaths that day, France regrets the death of one of its hostages in December, Elie Toledano. Four French hostages have been released, but three others remain in the hands of the Islamist Hamas movement. “We are fighting step by step with Israel and Qatar, which plays a decisive role in this matter, to free them… we will not give up,” Macron added. He declined to make any specific statements on the highly sensitive and sensitive issues, but hoped that “the next few days, the next few weeks” would lead to their release.

Humanitarian relief operations in the Gaza Strip

In addition, the president announced that France was conducting, sometimes quietly, humanitarian aid operations in the Gaza Strip. For example, dropping food supplies into the territory together with the Jordanian army on January 3.

And this Wednesday, in accordance with the agreement reached under the auspices of Qatar between Israel and Hamas, consignments of medicine and treatment – for a period of three months – intended for 45 hostages, purchased by France, are expected to arrive in Al-Arish. Egypt airport, Qatari military flights. They will then be transported along with humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians to the Gaza Strip by International Red Cross teams.

A third of the hostages, according to a group of Israeli families, suffer from very serious pathologies. While very committed to this humanitarian field, France has also treated more than 1,000 wounded or sick Palestinians through its hospital ship Dixmoud, a helicopter carrier stationed in the area.