UPDATE - French president, Qatari emir discuss need for peace in MidEast

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM STATEMENT; ADDS BACKGROUND; REVISES LEDE

By Anadolu staff

PARIS / LONDON (AA) - Qatar's emir and the French president discussed on Tuesday the need to bring "peace and stability in the Middle East," expressing opposition to planned Israeli operations in Rafah, southern Gaza.

Qatar's emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was received by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace as he began a two-day state visit to Paris.

The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip was at the heart of the discussion between the two leaders.

“The President of the Republic and the Emir finally discussed the need to work on the conditions for a return to peace and stability in the Middle East with all of our partners,” Elysee said in a statement.

Macron reiterated his availability to contribute, recalling that the only solution was that of "two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security,” the statement added.

Underlining that the ongoing mediation efforts in the region are necessary for a humanitarian pause in Gaza, the two leaders stressed the need for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in the region to allow large-scale humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and to protect civilians.

Macron and al-Thani also expressed their stance against planned Israeli operations in Rafah, a southern Gaza Strip city packed with over a million displaced people.

Some 1.5 million Palestinians previously displaced by Israel's offensive on Gaza are holed up in Rafah, seeking refuge from hostilities.

Israel's reported plans for an offensive on the city have sounded international alarm bells, with many countries urging restraint or cancelation of the operation.

Stating that they will provide a total of $200 million of support to the Palestinian people, Macron and al-Thani noted that they condemn all attacks against civilians and that journalists should be able to work in conflict areas.

Qatar is still playing a key role in the negotiations between Israel and the leaders of Hamas for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed over 29,000 people and injured over 69,000 with mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.