France has called for an impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza who had gathered to receive humanitarian assistance. Stéphane Séjourné, the French minister for Europe and foreign affairs, emphasized the need for accountability in a statement to France Inter.

"We will ask for explanations, and there will have to be an independent probe to determine what happened," Séjourné stated. "France calls things by their name. This applies when we designate Hamas as a terrorist group, but we must also call things by their name when there are atrocities in Gaza."

Here is what you need to know

The call for an investigation comes after reports emerged of a deadly incident in Gaza involving Israeli troops and Palestinians seeking aid. According to multiple reports, more than a hundred Palestinians were killed in the incident.

Séjourné stressed that France would not apply double standards in addressing the situation. He indicated that if an investigation were to conclude that the actions of Israeli forces amounted to a war crime, then it would become a matter for the judiciary.

A look at Israel's stance

Israel's military, however, has denied allegations of firing into large crowds of people. A spokesperson for the Israeli military asserted that most of the casualties occurred due to a crush or being run over by trucks attempting to flee. The spokesperson claimed that Israeli soldiers only opened fire at a small group that moved away from the trucks and posed a threat at a checkpoint.

The incident has sparked international concern and calls for a thorough investigation to ascertain the facts and ensure accountability for any wrongdoing.