France condemns Israeli offensive in central Gaza, warns of looming famine

France on Wednesday condemned Israel's expanding military offensive into central Gaza, warning that the operation is worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis marked by widespread malnutrition and an imminent risk of famine.

"France strongly condemns the extension of the Israeli offensive to the center of Gaza, where evacuation orders have led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people in Deir el-Balah and are hampering the work of numerous United Nations agencies and international NGOs," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the new "operation" is accelerating the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, which it described as "marked by malnutrition and the risk of famine."

It blamed the crisis on the blockade imposed by Israel and expressed alarm over the scale of civilian suffering.

"France condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli shootings targeting Palestinians in Gaza attempting to obtain humanitarian aid, which have killed more than 1,000 people in the past two months, according to the UN," it said.

Paris once again urged Israel to comply with the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law.

It called for the immediate lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza to allow its "massive, rapid and unimpeded" delivery.

France also urged Israeli authorities to allow UN agencies to carry out their work and to end pressure on humanitarian workers.

It expressed regret over Israel's revocation of the visa of the director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The ministry also echoed calls to grant access to free and independent media, stressing the importance of allowing journalists to document and report on developments in Gaza.