Prominent political figures, including Manuel Bompard and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have praised the dockers' stance and called for an embargo on arms sales to Israel.

Despite the controversy, the French Defence Ministry claims that the components are intended for assembly in Israel and are not meant for direct use by the Israeli military.

Dockworkers at the port of Marseille-Fos took a stand by refusing to load a container of machine gun parts destined for Israel, citing their opposition to the Israeli military's actions in Gaza.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza, which began with a Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, has led to a staggering number of casualties, predominantly among civilians.

This incident marks the third military shipment from Marseille to Israel in 2025, following similar transfers that occurred on April 3 and May 22.

The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union expressed that the workers are against participating in what they label as 'ongoing genocide' by the Israeli government.

The shipment included small metal links used in machine guns, which enable rapid fire; confirmation of their sale to Israeli IMI Systems was made by French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu in March 2024.

Sophie Binet, the CGT secretary general, voiced pride in the dockworkers' decision and called on the French government to cease all arms deliveries to Israel.

Concerns have been raised regarding the potential use of these machine gun parts against civilians in Gaza, amid ongoing conflict that has resulted in significant casualties.

Amnesty International has condemned France's arms deliveries to Israel, arguing they could contribute to serious violations of international law.

The dockworkers' actions have received support from various left-wing politicians in France, who emphasize the importance of resisting genocide and questioning the country's arms exports.

An investigation by Disclose and The Ditch highlighted the continuing French arms deliveries despite calls from the UN to halt them due to potential risks of genocide.