The International Criminal Court's Pre-Trial Chamber has issued the arrest warrants requested by the Court's Prosecutor on 20 May 2024. This is not a ruling but the formalization of an indictment.
France takes note of this decision. True to its longstanding commitment to support international justice, it reiterates its commitment to the independent work of the Court, in accordance with the Rome Statute.
Regarding the situation in Gaza, France recalls that, since the beginning of the conflict, it has always called for strict compliance with international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, an imperative that applies to all the parties, and has condemned violations of it.
It has condemned and continues to condemn in the strongest terms the anti-Semitic terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7 October [2023]. It repeats that there is no possible equivalence between Hamas, a terrorist group, and Israel, a democratic State.
It continues to demand the immediate, unconditional release of all the hostages.
It has constantly asked for full, unfettered humanitarian access to allow the massive entry of humanitarian aid, including food, for the civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip.
For many months it has also sounded the alarm about the unacceptable nature of civilian losses in the Gaza Strip.
It continues to call for a permanent ceasefire to end the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.