French president urges Israel to end strikes in Gaza, return to ceasefire

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - The French president said he called on Israel to end strikes in Gaza and return to a ceasefire following a phone call with the Israeli prime minister.

“I called on the Israeli Prime Minister to end the strikes on Gaza and to return to the ceasefire, which Hamas must accept. I emphasized that humanitarian aid must resume immediately,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X on Saturday.

Israel resumed intense bombing of Gaza on March 18, ending a nearly two-month ceasefire in the territory, where it has killed more than 50,000 people since Oct 7, 2023.

Macron affirmed that they would maintain their work on the “Arab reconstruction plan” and return to a “political horizon” rooted in a “two-state solution,” which is the “only path to peace and security.”

“Any forced displacement or annexation would go against this goal,” he added.

Macron also urged Israel to “strictly respect” the ceasefire in Lebanon. “This requirement applies to all parties in order to ensure the safety of civilian populations on both sides of the Blue Line,” he said, reiterating the need for a “strengthened” monitoring mechanism for full restoration of "Lebanon’s sovereignty."

“This includes a complete withdrawal of Israel from Lebanese territory and support in order to restore the state’s monopoly on arms,” Macron said.

He said that he also discussed Syria’s stabilization and full sovereignty with Netanyahu. “The Middle East needs stability. Only a just and lasting peace can guarantee a future for all,” he added.