Macron Criticizes Israeli Government Amid Escalating Gaza Conflict
French President expresses condemnation over humanitarian crisis in Gaza during television interview.
In a recent television interview, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the actions of the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, calling them 'unacceptable' and 'a shame'.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been described by Macron as the most severe since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023, which began with Hamas's abduction of 251 individuals, leading to a significant military response from Israel.
Macron emphasized that the situation in Gaza constitutes 'an unacceptable humanitarian tragedy,' while affirming that the characterization of these events as 'genocide' is a matter for historians to evaluate, not politicians.
He highlighted his personal experience at the border between Egypt and Gaza, describing the conditions as among the worst he has ever witnessed, and noted that aid being sent from France and other nations is being obstructed by Israel.
In addition to his remarks on the humanitarian situation, Macron indicated that the possibility of revising cooperation agreements between the European Union and Israel is a topic currently under consideration.
This follows a request from the Netherlands to the European Commission to assess whether Israeli actions are in compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which mandates that relations are founded on respect for human rights and democratic principles.
Jean-Noël Barrot of the French Assembly supported this request, labeling it 'legitimate'.
Macron reiterated the importance of United States involvement in efforts to halt the conflict, asserting that former President Donald Trump possesses significant influence in this area.
Recent Israeli airstrikes near a hospital in southern Gaza have reportedly resulted in 28 fatalities, as reported by local Civil Defense.
This escalation follows Netanyahu's announcement of an impending intensification of military operations in the Palestinian territory.
Following a brief pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, the Israeli military resumed bombardments targeting two hospitals in Khan Younis, which Israeli sources claim housed command centers associated with Hamas.
Since March 18, when the Israeli forces resumed their operations after a two-month lull, access for humanitarian aid into Gaza has been consistently hindered.
The Israeli military has declared a new campaign aimed at the 'conquest' of Gaza, necessitating the internal displacement of most of its 2.4 million inhabitants.
The conflict initiated by the Hamas attack on October 7 has reportedly led to the deaths of approximately 1,218 individuals in Israel, most of whom were civilians, according to official data.
In contrast, retaliatory strikes by Israel have resulted in at least 52,908 casualties in Gaza, majority of whom are also civilians, as reported by the Hamas Health Ministry and classified as credible by the United Nations.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been described by Macron as the most severe since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023, which began with Hamas's abduction of 251 individuals, leading to a significant military response from Israel.
Macron emphasized that the situation in Gaza constitutes 'an unacceptable humanitarian tragedy,' while affirming that the characterization of these events as 'genocide' is a matter for historians to evaluate, not politicians.
He highlighted his personal experience at the border between Egypt and Gaza, describing the conditions as among the worst he has ever witnessed, and noted that aid being sent from France and other nations is being obstructed by Israel.
In addition to his remarks on the humanitarian situation, Macron indicated that the possibility of revising cooperation agreements between the European Union and Israel is a topic currently under consideration.
This follows a request from the Netherlands to the European Commission to assess whether Israeli actions are in compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which mandates that relations are founded on respect for human rights and democratic principles.
Jean-Noël Barrot of the French Assembly supported this request, labeling it 'legitimate'.
Macron reiterated the importance of United States involvement in efforts to halt the conflict, asserting that former President Donald Trump possesses significant influence in this area.
Recent Israeli airstrikes near a hospital in southern Gaza have reportedly resulted in 28 fatalities, as reported by local Civil Defense.
This escalation follows Netanyahu's announcement of an impending intensification of military operations in the Palestinian territory.
Following a brief pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, the Israeli military resumed bombardments targeting two hospitals in Khan Younis, which Israeli sources claim housed command centers associated with Hamas.
Since March 18, when the Israeli forces resumed their operations after a two-month lull, access for humanitarian aid into Gaza has been consistently hindered.
The Israeli military has declared a new campaign aimed at the 'conquest' of Gaza, necessitating the internal displacement of most of its 2.4 million inhabitants.
The conflict initiated by the Hamas attack on October 7 has reportedly led to the deaths of approximately 1,218 individuals in Israel, most of whom were civilians, according to official data.
In contrast, retaliatory strikes by Israel have resulted in at least 52,908 casualties in Gaza, majority of whom are also civilians, as reported by the Hamas Health Ministry and classified as credible by the United Nations.
