- 34 French nationals evacuated from Gaza Strip on Friday
- Macron reiterates calls for humanitarian truce
The French ministry added it had asked Israeli authorities to explain the reasons behind the strike on the institute, and reiterated its "very strong concerns" over the number of civilian victims in Gaza.
President Emmanuel Macron told reporters during a visit to Brittany that France was starting to evacuate its citizens, and Macron also reiterated his calls for a humanitarian truce.
The French government added on Friday that 34 French nationals had been evacuated from the Gaza Strip on Friday.
AFP said its office in the Gaza Strip was shelled by the Israeli army and seriously damaged on Thursday by a strike.
None of the eight AFP staff members or permanent employees normally based in Gaza were on site at the time of the impact. All were evacuated to the south of the Gaza Strip on Oct. 13, added the French news organisation.
"AFP condemns in the strongest terms this strike on its office in Gaza City," it said.
