French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that fighting terrorism does not mean “destroying everything in Gaza,” renewing his call for a ceasefire that would lead to a humanitarian cease-fire, according to the French Press Agency.
Macron told France 5 television: “We cannot allow the idea to take root that effectively fighting terrorism means destroying everything in Gaza or randomly attacking civilian populations and causing civilian casualties.”
The French president’s comments come as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to escalate, with Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip killing at least 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel killing 13 people, including two children.
Macron has been a vocal critic of the Israeli airstrikes, calling them “disproportionate” and “disproportionate.” He has also called for an end to the blockade of Gaza, which he says is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the territory.