French President Emmanuel Macron, in an interview with BBC aired on Friday, urged Israel to halt the airstrikes killing civilians in Gaza. He expressed solidarity with Israel and its desire to combat terrorism but emphasized that there is no justification for the bombings that have claimed the lives of Gaza’s civilians, including children, women, and the elderly.
President Macron stressed that the response to combat terrorism, coming from a democracy like Israel, should adhere to international rules of war and humanitarian law. When asked about Israel’s potential violation of international law, he refrained from passing judgment but voiced concern that the intense bombardment in Gaza could lead to resentment in the region.
Leaders of countries participating in the humanitarian conference on Gaza in Paris had pledged to provide assistance exceeding one billion euros to the region amid calls for a ceasefire. A significant portion of these aids is expected to meet the United Nations’ needs to support the inhabitants of Gaza and the West Bank, amounting to around 1.2 billion dollars by the end of 2023.
President Macron, addressing representatives from fifty countries and humanitarian organizations, said, “In the near term, we must work to protect civilians. To achieve this, an immediate humanitarian ceasefire should be declared, and efforts made to halt the firing of rockets. It must become possible.”
