Hostages in the Gaza Strip: Emmanuel Macron spoke with the Emir of Qatar and Egyptian President Al-Sisi

Progress in the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip? President Emmanuel Macron spoke on Saturday with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi about ongoing negotiations, the Elysee Palace announced. “The three heads of state took stock of the situation of the hostages and the actions taken to free them,” the French president said.

The head of state recalled that “the release of the hostages, including eight French, is an absolute priority for France” and that they must be “released without delay.” He reiterated “the need for an immediate truce leading to a ceasefire” while “the number of civilians in the Gaza Strip is growing” and “hospitals and schools” are being bombed. The three heads of state also discussed ways to strengthen “their coordination to ensure the delivery of aid to the civilian population of Gaza.”

Lecornu on tour in the region

At the same time, French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu ended his tour of the Near and Middle East, which quietly began on Wednesday. The minister visited Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, Israel in succession and then back to Qatar on Saturday, the second visit to the small Gulf state in less than 48 hours that was not scheduled in the program. Each time he raised the hostage situation and, in particular, met with the families of the hostages in Israel.

In the Sunday Journal (JDD), he stated that he had held “working meetings” on the issue of releasing the hostages “in Egypt, Qatar, then Israel”, without revealing their contents. “We must act effectively and therefore you will understand how important it is to be careful about the exact content of my various exchanges,” he explained to the weekly. He said Thursday from Qatar that he had “hope” for their fate.

The Israeli army estimates that about 240 people were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip during Hamas’ unprecedented Oct. 7 attack on Israeli territory, including eight French, according to Paris. Qatar, home to Hamas’s political office and which has provided millions of dollars in financial aid to Gaza, was involved in the mediation that led to the release in October of four hostages: an American woman and her daughter, and two Israeli women.