France expects to receive “verifiable proof” that the over 130 hostages held in Gaza had received medications designed for them as part of a deal reached by Paris and Doha last month.
“We know that the medications effectively entered into Gaza,” a source from French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s entourage said on Monday.
“The modalities of their transfer to the hostages were dealt with under Qatar’s mediation. We now expect to receive verifiable proof that the medications have reached their beneficiaries.
"Responsibility lays on Hamas"
“The responsibility lays on Hamas and is a matter of regular exchanges with Qatari authorities,” the source stated.
The source spoke as Sejourne visited Israel as part of a regional tour in which he also made stops in Jordan and Egypt and is also expected to travel to Lebanon.
Egypt and Qatar are in the middle of mediating a deal for the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza, out of the 253 seized during the Hamas-led attack against Israel on October 7. Three of those captives are French citizens.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz raised the issue of the medications during his meeting with Sejourne.
Israeli officials have harshly rebuked Qatar for failing to provide proof that the medicines reached their destination. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been under attack by members of his coalition for backing a deal, which Hamas then reneged on by not ensuring that the drugs reached the hostages.