Macron calls on Israel to stop bombing Gaza civilians
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Israel to stop bombing civilians in Gaza, saying there was "no justification" and the deaths were causing "resentment".
In an interview with the BBC, Macron said Israel had the right to protect itself after the October 7 Hamas attacks, but he added: "These babies, these ladies, these old people are bombed and killed.
"So there is no reason for that and no legitimacy. So we do urge Israel to stop."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response to Macron's comments that Hamas, not Israel, was to blame for the civilian deaths.
Netanyahu repeated that Israel was trying to avoid harming civilians but that Hamas was preventing them from moving to safe areas and using them as "human shields" -- a charge Hamas denies.
Macron said France "clearly condemns" the unprecedented cross border attacks by the Palestinian militant groups that Israel says left 1,200 dead, mainly civilians, with 240 others taken hostage.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that more than 11,000 people, mainly civilians, have been killed in Israel's air and ground assault since.
"We do share [Israel's] pain. And we do share their willingness to get rid of terrorism," Macron said in the interview on the fringes of an international peace forum in Paris.
"We know what terrorism means in France." But he insisted there was "no justification" for the bombing of civilians.
"It's extremely important for all of us because of our principles, because we are democracies. It's important for the mid-to-long run as well for the security of Israel itself, to recognize that all lives matter," he added.
Macron said that all governments and aid agencies at a humanitarian aid conference in Paris on Thursday had agreed that a "humanitarian pause" followed by a "ceasefire" was the only way to protect Gaza's civilians.
When asked whether Israel had breached international law, Macron replied: "I'm not a judge. I'm a head of state" who sought to be "a partner and a friend" to Israel.
The French leader added that he disagreed that the best way for Israel to "protect [itself] is having a large bombing of Gaza".
This was creating "resentment and bad feelings" in the Middle East, he said.
Macron is among western leaders who have visited Israel since the attacks to show solidarity.
11 November 2023, 12:22
01
Oh now the pos is opening his mouth and talking about civilian casualties!
11 November 2023, 15:12
31
If the civilian population of north Gaza had moved to the south as Israel had ordered them to, and gave them plenty of time to do it, as they still are giving them at least 4 hours a day to move, there would have been no civilians in the areas bombed. However Hamas tried every available option to them including roadblocks and even shooting at them to prevent this.
11 November 2023, 17:07
12
Not only does israel bomb people on their way to the south, they also bomb people in the south. Add to that the fact that you have no right to ethnically cleanse and attack civilians. Are you seriously trying to make the israeli terrorist army look humane? It was israel who killed the people on the road. You zionists make up lies and arguements and then repeat them as if they are facts and common sense. Going by your logic, if zionist settlers had moved out of Palestine like hamas ordered them to, nobody would have been killed on october 7. Same logic. And who is israel to order anyone to do anything in Gaza? Your hasbara is pathetic. May God send you pople who do to you what israel does to the civilians and may people then blame you for it.
