French arms flowed to Israel throughout Gaza war, investigation reveals

A new investigation by Progressive International has revealed a sustained flow of French-made weapons to Israel during its ongoing war on Gaza, despite growing evidence of Israeli war crimes.

The report, titled Un flux ininterrompu, documents how between October 2023 and April 2025, French companies exported millions of military components, including bombs, missiles, grenade parts, and machine gun accessories, amid Israel's devastating assault on the besieged enclave.

Among the exports were over 15 million items classified under customs code 93069090, covering "bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles, and other munitions of war".

Another 1,868 items were listed under code 93059100, for parts used in launchers, flamethrowers, and automatic rifles, totalling €9 million in declared value.

These transfers reportedly took place as Israeli attacks killed tens of thousands in Gaza. One of the deadliest, the "Flour Massacre", in which Israeli forces shot over 100 Palestinians queuing for aid, was believed to have involved Negev machine guns.

A separate investigation by Disclose traced ammunition belts for those guns to Eurolinks, a French manufacturer based in Marseille.

Air and sea shipments confirmed

The report also identifies delivery routes, including FedEx cargo flights carrying F‑35 parts from the US to Paris Charles de Gaulle, before continuing to Tel Aviv.

These components, labelled as US defence articles, were destined for Nevatim Airbase, which houses Israel's fleet of F‑35 jets.

Meanwhile, the Liberia-flagged CONTSHIP ERA delivered more than 39 tonnes of machine gun parts from Fos-sur-Mer to Haifa in two shipments in April and May 2025.

A French military plane was also recorded flying from Cairo to Tel Aviv in the same period.

France's Armed Forces Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, acknowledged in March 2024 that "some licenses may have been issued" for components used in Israel's Iron Dome system but refused to disclose further details.

Rights groups say these transfers likely breach France's obligations under the UN Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits arms exports if there's a risk they could be used in violations of international humanitarian law.

Campaigners have repeatedly called for full transparency around France's export licensing regime, and for a parliamentary inquiry into whether the deliveries violated domestic or international law.

The New Arab has contacted France’s foreign and defence ministries for comment.