“We are not going to provide electricity used, among other things, to operate the entire Hamas arms industry,” explained Raphael Morav on Thursday on franceinfo.
Raphael Morav, charge d’affaires at the Israeli embassy in France, on Thursday October 19 on franceinfo conditioned a return of electricity in the north of the Gaza Strip to the possibility for the International Red Cross to visit to the hostages who are in the hands of Hamas. “Since we are talking about humanitarian law, the Red Cross must be able to have access to and visit these hostages. This is the minimum required on a humanitarian level”did he declare.
The Israeli army said Monday that 199 hostages were being held by Hamas, Israelis, foreigners and dual nationals. Hamas, for its part, claimed Monday evening “200 to 250 hostages” and reports 22 hostages killed in Israeli army air raids since the start of the response. Furthermore, Raphael Morav reaffirmed that Israel was not responsible for the strike on the Gaza hospital: “There is no doubt, the evidence is irrefutable”, he said. He rejected the idea of an international investigation: “It makes no sense. We are not going to get into this game of allegations”he said.
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franceinfo: Your government authorizes the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza via Egypt. When will this aid be delivered?
Raphael Morav: From the moment the border is open. It could start in the coming hours. The problem was above all Egypt, which did not want to open the border, because it feared that Gazans would return to its territory in the Sinai. This was above all what needed to be resolved.
There is a significant portion of public opinion that considers Israel to be responsible for the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. What do you answer?
Let us not forget firstly that there are 199 confirmed hostages who are in the hands of Hamas in deplorable conditions. The Red Cross has not had access to them to see their conditions. There are tens of thousands of Israelis who have been evacuated from their villages and towns in Israel because of rocket fire on their homes, and not just along the Gaza Strip. We need to see the whole humanitarian situation and not just one side. The humanitarian problem in the Gaza Strip was created by Hamas.
“We had a war imposed by Hamas and terrorist groups that came from the Gaza Strip without any provocation or pretext or reason on our part. Now they must take responsibility for the situation.”
Raphael Morav, charge d’affaires at the Israeli embassy in Franceon franceinfo
Are you going to give access to water and electricity to the two million people living in Gaza?
We are not going to supply our enemy. Do you wait for a country to supply its enemy? Does that seem reasonable to you? No ! We are not going to provide gasoline to Hamas so that it can continue to use it for its own military means. We are not going to provide electricity which is used, among other things, to operate the entire Hamas arms industry in the Gaza Strip. Water is supplied to the southern part of the Gaza Strip. As you well know, we are asking the population to evacuate to avoid as many human losses as possible.
What conditions do you set for the restoration of electricity?
First, there is the hostage problem which is not just Israel’s problem. There are 43 different nationalities involved. These are nationals who are in the hands of Hamas. Firstly, since we are talking about humanitarian law, the Red Cross must be able to have access to and visit these hostages. This is the minimum required on a humanitarian level.
There is absolutely no doubt in your mind that the Israeli army has no responsibility for the bombing of the Gaza hospital?
There is no doubt, the evidence is irrefutable. It’s just a matter of looking at where that missed shot fell. There are no craters. If it was a missile strike, you would have seen a crater at least a meter in size in that hospital parking lot.
Do you accept the Palestinian Authority’s proposal that there be an independent investigation by the International Criminal Court?
That does not make any sense. We are not going to get into this game of allegations. Those who want to see the facts, see them. Even if there is an investigation, we will say “yes, but it is not complete”. The narrative is already there. People have made up their claims without presenting any evidence until now. We are not going to get into this game of fake news which complicates the situation even more.
“Don’t make the same mistakes we did” after September 11, 2001. How do you understand Joe Biden’s warning?
We will do everything necessary to avoid losses. This is why, in fact, the incursion has not yet started. We are also doing everything possible to avoid civilian casualties. This is why we sent leaflets in Arabic and asked for evacuation on social networks. All this to avoid human losses. And after ? Afterwards we know that if we want peace, it is not compatible with terrorism. All terrorist forces must be eliminated from the Gaza Strip