Emmanuel Macron urges Israel to stop killing women and babies in Gaza

Emmanuel Macron has called on Israel to stop killing women and babies in Gaza.

The French president said there was “no justification” for the bombings and called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the region.

“I think there is no justification for attacking civilians,” Macron told the BBC.

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“De facto today civilians are being bombed, de facto there are babies, there are ladies, there are old people being bombed and killed.”

“There is no reason or legitimacy for this.” That is why we call on Israel to stop this.”

Asked if he was disappointed that the United States and Britain had not joined him in calling for a ceasefire, he said: “No, I hope they will.”

“I think it’s very important to see the whole story, but I think this is the only solution we have: this ceasefire.”

Since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, Gaza officials said the death toll in the area had surpassed 11,000, while Israel said more than 100,000 Palestinians had fled south in the past two days.

Macron declined to say whether he believed Israel had violated international law.

He said: “We recognize the right (for Israel) to protect itself.” And a month after this terrorist attack, I don’t think this would be the right way to deal with a partner and a friend, just to say that you will be convicted and that you are guilty.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Macron on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying Hamas was responsible for the harm to civilians.

He said: “The responsibility for any harm to civilians lies with Hamas – ISIS and not with Israel.”

On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the British government supported a “humanitarian pause” in the Gaza Strip rather than a wider ceasefire.

During talks with G7 foreign ministers in Japan, the Associated Press reported that Mr. Cleverly said a ceasefire would damage Israel’s ability to defend itself.

He said: “We have seen and heard absolutely nothing that leads us to believe that the Hamas leadership is serious about a ceasefire.”

Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to back a humanitarian ceasefire rather than a break with his party.

Sir Keir said: “There is disagreement over whether we should call for a humanitarian pause, which is my position, as I have set out very, very clearly, and there are those who think we should have a ceasefire , which again I very much rejected. clearly.” .’

The White House announced this week that the Israeli government had agreed to halt its offensive in Gaza for four hours a day and open a second route for those seeking to flee the territory’s north.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in New Delhi on Friday that “far too many” Palestinians have been killed and more must be done to save lives and get help where it is needed most.

Mr Blinken said the US “appreciates” Israel’s steps to minimize civilian casualties, but that was not enough.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of London on Saturday for a pro-Palestinian march to mark Armistice Day.

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