French judicial authorities have moved towards a formal inquiry into potential war crimes after the deaths of two young French nationals during the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza last year. The children, aged six and nine, were killed when a home where their family had taken shelter was struck in the northern part of the enclave. Relatives say they had fled earlier bombardments, believing the building would offer a measure of safety.

According to the family’s account, the strike claimed the life of the older child instantly, while the younger sibling died shortly afterwards from severe injuries. Their mother and brother were left with serious wounds. The grandmother, convinced that lawful protections for civilians were ignored, filed a complaint in France accusing those responsible of murder and acts linked to genocide. She was later joined by a prominent rights organisation acting as a civil party.

Months after the complaint was submitted, prosecutors asked an investigating judge to open proceedings “against persons unknown”, focusing on the deliberate targeting of civilians and property without any apparent military justification. However, they declined to widen the inquiry to include charges connected to genocide or crimes against humanity, despite repeated appeals from the family and supporting rights groups who argue that the scale and pattern of civilian harm demands broader scrutiny.