France in talks with Egypt to establish field hospital for Gaza wounded

France is in talks with Egypt to establish a military medical facility including surgical capacities for those wounded in Gaza, France’s defence minister said on Monday.

Paris is set to host an international humanitarian conference for Gaza later this week to coordinate international efforts for the Israeli-occupied Palestinian enclave.

“There are also still discussions with Egypt in order to preposition a French military health offering on the ground, particularly providing surgery for war injuries,” the minister, Sebastien Lecornu, said in an interview with Lebanon’s L’Orient le Jour newspaper.

Egypt has prepared a field hospital at Sheikh Zuweid, near the Rafah crossing to Gaza, to treat wounded civilians.

France sent the Tonnerre helicopter carrier to the region to support Gaza hospitals.

The French military is currently equipping a second helicopter carrier with advanced medical facilities, set to sail to the region in the next 10 days.

“The Dixmude helicopter carrier, which will be reinforced with medical capacities, will be sent soon to the zone to relieve the Tonnerre helicopter carrier,” Lecornu said.