Macron urges Netanyahu to halt Gaza bombardment, restore ceasefire
3 Min Read
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt strikes on Gaza and respect ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon.
-
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a media conference at the end of an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, urging an immediate halt to "Israel's" military operations in Gaza and a return to the ceasefire, amid mounting civilian casualties and renewed regional tensions.
"I called on the Israeli prime minister to put an end to the strikes on Gaza and return to the ceasefire, which Hamas must accept. I underlined that humanitarian aid must be delivered again immediately," Macron wrote in a statement on X.
His remarks come as Gaza reels under renewed Israeli bombardment, following the collapse of a fragile two-month truce.
On Sunday, Gaza's civil Defense Agency reported that at least eight people, including five children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Khan Younis as displaced Palestinians gathered to mark Eid al-Fitr.
Read more: Israeli strikes kill 22, including entire family, in Gaza
Macron's appeal came a day after Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya announced the group had agreed to a new ceasefire proposal mediated by international actors.
In his Eid address, al-Hayya confirmed, "We received, two days ago, a proposal from mediators," adding that "Hamas agreed to it," while stressing the movement's rejection of forced displacement and any attempt to strip Palestinians of their right to resist.
He warned against "delusions" that Hamas would abandon its people or responsibilities.
Despite Hamas's acceptance, Israeli officials have yet to respond formally to the proposal. Al-Hayya accused Netanyahu of previously sabotaging efforts for a comprehensive truce, stating, "Netanyahu sabotaged all mediation efforts to secure a comprehensive ceasefire and full withdrawal from Gaza."
Aggression on Lebanon
Macron also addressed the deteriorating situation along Lebanon's southern border, where "Israel" bombed Beirut's southern suburbs for the first time in four months.
The strike followed alleged rocket fire from Lebanon into Israeli territory, though Hezbollah has denied involvement.
"I called on Israel to strictly respect the ceasefire strictly," Macron said, referring to the Lebanon front.
"Israel's" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the escalation, warning, "The equation has changed," signaling that "Israel" would target any location in Lebanon it considers a threat.
Macron condemned earlier the airstrike as an "unacceptable" violation of the ceasefire.
In a separate statement on Saturday, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem warned that continued Israeli aggression would force the group to consider "alternatives."
"There must be an end to this assault; we cannot accept that this approach continues," he said, reiterating Hezbollah's full adherence to the ceasefire and its commitment to the Palestinian cause.
Read more: No normalization in Lebanon: Hezbollah Political Bureau member
