French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza, calling it a “dramatic step backward” for peace efforts and urging an immediate cessation of hostilities.
“It is tragic for the Palestinians in Gaza, once again plunged into the terror of bombings. It is tragic for the hostages and their families… It is tragic for the entire region, which is trying to recover after more than a year of war and upheaval,” Macron said on Wednesday at a press conference with visiting Jordanian King Abdullah II.
Macron emphasized that hostilities must cease “immediately” and that negotiations must resume “in good faith.” He stressed that “no Israeli military solution, colonization, annexation, or forced displacement” would be accepted in Gaza, urging all concerned parties to “find the path again” toward a political resolution, Xinhua news agency reported.
Echoing Macron’s concerns, King Abdullah II warned that Israel’s resumption of attacks on Gaza is “an extremely dangerous step that adds further devastation to an already dire humanitarian situation.”
He called on the international community to act “immediately and collectively” to restore the ceasefire.
Israeli forces conducted airstrikes across Gaza early on Tuesday, killing over 400 people, and vowed to escalate the offensive unless Hamas releases the hostages held in the enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later stated that Israel would intensify its renewed assault on Gaza and declared, “From now on, the negotiations (on the Gaza ceasefire) will take place only under fire.”
The strikes broke a ceasefire that had lasted nearly two months.
\-IANS