Emmanuel Macron announced, Friday November 3, the holding of a “humanitarian conference” on November 9 in Paris, affirming that “the fight against terrorism does not justify sacrificing civilians” while land operations and strikes continue in Gaza.
Traveling to Brittany, the French president explained that this humanitarian conference would take place within the framework of the Paris Peace Forum. “We call for this humanitarian truce because the fight against terrorism does not justify sacrificing civilians,” added Emmanuel Macron as the war between Israel and Hamas continues. “The fight against terrorism is not an indiscriminate attack against civilian populations,” the head of state also warned.
“Avoid any escalation”
Scheduled for November 10 and 11, with parallel events from November 8 and 9, the Paris Peace Forum will bring together representatives of States, international organizations, businesses, as well as NGOs on the theme ” building together in a world of rivalry”.
“The idea is to tour the major donors and accelerate aid to Gaza,” said the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, referring to a section relating to concrete aid in terms of food, medical equipment and energy, “a complicated question because Israel does not want gasoline to enter the Gaza Strip.” A second part is planned on pledges of donations, as well as an “exchange on humanitarian access” to the Gaza Strip, always extremely complicated. Israel has been informed but will not be present, said the Quai d’Orsay.
“The fight against terrorism is not an indiscriminate attack against civilian populations,” also affirmed the President of the Republic, calling once again to “avoid any escalation” in the Middle East.
Emmanuel Macron also reacted to the strike which hit the French Institute in Gaza, for which France asked Israel for explanations. “We are in the process of organizing the evacuation of our nationals and all those who contribute to the functioning of the French Institute and their beneficiaries from Gaza,” explained the head of state. The AFP office in the Gaza Strip was also seriously damaged by a strike on Thursday.
Emmanuel Macron, on the other hand, refused to comment on the statements of the leader of pro-Iranian Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah, who on Friday accused the United States of being “entirely responsible for the ongoing war in Gaza” and indicated that ” all options” were open for an expansion of the war on the Lebanese front with Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this Friday that he refused “a temporary truce” with Hamas “without the release” of the more than 240 hostages kidnapped during the Hamas attack and held in Gaza.