Paris (Quds News Network)- 300 French-speaking writers, including Alice Zeniter, Leïla Slimani, J.M.G. Le Clézio, Virginie Despentes, and Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, have signed an open letter calling for sanctions against Israel over the ongoing 'genocide' in Gaza. The headline of the letter, published in French newspaper Libération, reads: “We can no longer be satisfied with the word ‘horror’; today we must name the ‘genocide’ in Gaza”. The writers are also calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of the remaining Israeli captives held in Gaza. “Since Israel broke a ceasefire that was supposed to lead to an end to the war and the release of the hostages, the attack on Gaza has resumed with redoubled brutality,” the letter reads. “Now, repeated public statements from leading figures such as Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir openly express genocidal intentions.” The term “genocide”, the letter says, “to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer a matter of debate for many international lawyers and human rights organizations: the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, the United Nations Human Rights Council, UN rapporteurs, and many other specialists and historians…” Accusations of "genocide" against Israel have multiplied recently, coming from the UN, prominent human rights groups, a growing number of countries and international law experts. On Monday, the leader of the French Socialist Party Olivier Faure also denounced for the first time Israel’s war on Gaza as a “genocide”. "Benjamin Netanyahu's government is committing genocide," he told hundreds of supporters gathered in Paris, saying he now embraced the term "loud and clear". "Genocide is characterised as soon as there is intentionality. Members of the Israeli government are making numerous statements to this effect [...] This policy is unfortunately thought out, planned, and even claimed," Faure added. "Better late than never," replied Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of France Unbowed (LFI), a left-wing party that has been using the word genocide to describe the situation in Gaza for a long time. “We, French-speaking writers have waited too long to speak with one voice. Some of us have already signed op-eds and petitions, written, voted, and demonstrated. Today, we speak out in the name of our profession—to speak out about our own.” On 13 May, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "unacceptable" behaviour in blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, raising the possibility of sanctions. Last week, France joined 22 other nations in condemning Israel over its decision to allow only very limited aid into Gaza, adding voice to a joint statement – also signed by the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The statement demanded Israel to let aid into Gaza, warning that the population faced “starvation”. It said humanitarian aid should never be politicised. The leaders of the UK, France, and Canada also issued a sharp warning to Israel. In a separate joint statement, they condemned Israel’s expanded attacks on Gaza and the West Bank and threatened concrete action if the offensive continues and the blockade on humanitarian aid is not lifted. “We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions,” the statement said. “If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.” Citing the killing of Palestinian poet and novelist Heba Abu Nada by Israeli bombings on 20 October 2023, the leading French-speaking authors pay tribute to the Palestinians killed "relentlessly" by Israel, "by the dozens, every day" and among them their "brothers and sisters: the writers of Gaza". "When Israel doesn't kill them, it maims them, displaces them and deliberately starves them. Israel has destroyed the places of writing and reading - libraries, universities, homes, parks.