Paris, March 20 (IANS) French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza, calling it a dramatic step backward for peace efforts, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities.
“It is tragic for the Palestinians in Gaza, once again plunged into the terror of bombing. It is tragic for the hostages and their families … It is tragic for the entire region, which is trying to recover after more than a year of war and upheaval,” Macron said on Wednesday at a press conference with visiting Jordanian King Abdullah II.
Macron emphasised that hostilities must cease “immediately” and negotiations must resume “in good faith.” He stressed that “no Israeli military solution, colonization, annexation, or forced displacement” would be accepted in Gaza, urging concerned parties to “find the path again” toward a political resolution, Xinhua news agency reported.
Echoing Macron’s concerns, King Abdullah II warned that Israel’s resumption of attacks on Gaza is “an extremely dangerous step that adds further devastation to an already dire humanitarian situation.”
He called on the international community to act “immediately and collectively” to restore the ceasefire.
Israeli forces conducted air strikes across Gaza early on Tuesday, killing over 400 people, and vowed to escalate the offensive unless Hamas releases hostages held in the enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said later in the day that Israel will escalate its renewed assault on the enclave and that “from now on, the negotiations (on Gaza ceasefire) will take place only under fire.”
The strikes broke a cease-fire that had lasted nearly two months.
–IANS
int/rs
