French activists from organizations including Oxfam, Amnesty International, and Greenpeace turned the Fontaine des Innocents in Paris red on May 28, 2025, to symbolize the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza. The demonstration aimed to condemn what they described as a humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the Israeli blockade and military actions in the region.
Protesters held placards demanding a ceasefire and highlighting the urgent need to halt the violence in Gaza. In a joint statement, the activists criticized the French government's slow response to the crisis, emphasizing that France must move beyond verbal condemnations to take substantive action.
Cecile Duflot, former minister and executive director of Oxfam France, urged for decisive intervention, while Clemence Lagouardat, coordinating Oxfam’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza, stressed the severity of shortages in essentials such as food and medical supplies due to the Israeli blockade.
The conflict traces back to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on Israel, which resulted in 1,218 deaths, predominantly civilians, and 251 abductions. In retaliation, Israeli military operations in Gaza have led to at least 53,977 deaths, mostly civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry acknowledged by the United Nations.
Greenpeace France head Jean-Francois Julliard labeled the situation a genocide, accusing political inaction of complicity and calling on French President Emmanuel Macron to demonstrate courage and clarity in seeking an end to the violence. The activists also appealed for international pressure on Israel to enforce a ceasefire, impose an arms embargo, and reexamine EU-Israel cooperation agreements.
In response to the protests, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Macron of supporting a "murderous Islamist terrorist organization," escalating diplomatic tensions amid the humanitarian crisis.
