Macron urged Israel to halt the bombardment of civilians in Gaza as part of the ongoing war with Hamas, now in its seventh week since October.
In an interview that BBC broadcast and Le Monde later highlighted, the French president articulated a consensus reached at the humanitarian conference on Gaza held in Paris. The participants, including various governments and organizations, agreed that a humanitarian pause followed by a ceasefire is essential. Such a step, they argued, would protect civilians who have no involvement in the conflict and would allow aid to reach those in need.
Macron emphasized that civilians are currently suffering from the violence. He spoke of infants, women, and elderly people who are being harmed and killed, underscoring that there is no justification for the harm endured by noncombatants. While recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself, he condemned Hamas’s actions as terrorist and called on Israel to stop the bombardment to spare innocent lives. He also affirmed France’s stance that civilian protection must take priority in any military response.