Today's Date:

Statement made by Philippe Douste-Blazy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the situation in Gaza

I should like to say how shocked I was by last night's tragic events which cost the lives of very many Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. I should like to offer my condolences to the Palestinian victims' families.

As we have always said, the violence risks embroiling the region in a dangerous escalation.

France condemns the indiscriminate artillery fire in inhabited areas which violates international humanitarian law and particularly the Geneva conventions. Israel's right to defend herself cannot be called into question, but it must be exercised with due regard to international humanitarian law.

We also condemn the continued rocket fire into Israeli territory and the appeals for the resumption of suicide bombings.

More than ever I appeal to the sense of responsibility of the two parties. They must refrain from any action which could complicate the search for a political solution at a time when everyone's objective must be to calm things down./.