Israel’s resumption of strikes on the Gaza Strip is a major step in the wrong direction after its ceasefire with Palestinian militant group Hamas earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday alongside Jordan’s King Abdullah II.”The resumption of Israeli strikes yesterday (Tuesday), despite the efforts of mediators, represents a dramatic step backwards,” Macron said ahead of talks in Paris with Abdullah.”It’s dramatic for the Palestinians of Gaza, who are again plunged into the terror of bombardment, and dramatic for the (Israeli) hostages and their families who live in the nightmare of uncertainty.”Israel earlier this week carried out its deadliest bombing of Gaza since a fragile ceasefire began in January between Israel and the Palestinian territory’s Islamist rulers Hamas.The renewed Israeli air strikes in the night of Monday to Tuesday killed more than 400 people, according to the Gaza health ministry. They have continued since.Macron slammed Hamas, saying the “axis of resistance is today an illusion”, but also warned Israel that there could be “no Israeli military solution in Gaza”.The Jordanian king called the strikes “an extremely dangerous step that adds further devastation to an already dire humanitarian situation”.”The ceasefire must be restored and the flow of aid must resume immediately,” Abdullah said.- ‘Ready to contribute’ -After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Gazans endured more than 15 months of devastating conflict before a fragile cessation of hostilities took effect on January 19.As ceasefire talks stalled earlier this month, Israel cut off humanitarian aid and electricity to Gaza in a bid to pressure Hamas to give in to its terms. If the war stops, France has thrown its support behind a plan put forward by Arab nations, including Jordan, to rebuild Gaza without evicting its 2.4 million Palestinian residents.”We French and Europeans are ready to contribute to these deliberations and to this plan,” Macron said.Macron said he and other European leaders would discuss it on Thursday at the European Council, “among ourselves and with the Secretary General of the United Nations”.France, Britain, Germany and Italy earlier this month backed the plan, hailing it as a “realistic path” for Gaza to return to the control of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority after nearly two decades of Hamas rule.Israel and the United States have rejected the proposal.It came after US President Donald Trump triggered global outrage when he suggested the US “take over” Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, while forcing its Palestinian inhabitants to relocate to Egypt or Jordan.- ‘Palestinian state’ -Long term, said Macron, work should focus on “a Palestinian state to finally give back Palestinians their legitimate right”, though this should come with the “necessary security guarantees for Israel”.Abdullah said: “A political solution that leads to peace on the basis of a two-state solution is the only way to guarantee security for Palestinians, Israelis in the region.” The so-called two-state solution would see a new Palestinian state live peacefully side by side with an Israeli one.It was part of a peace plan in the 1990s but Israel has since only deepened its occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, the bulk of the land which was to make up a future Palestinian state.The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.Israel’s retaliation in Gaza has killed at least 49,547 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry.Of the 251 hostages seized during the attack, 58 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s resumption of strikes on the Gaza Strip is a major step in the wrong direction after its ceasefire with Palestinian militant group Hamas earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday alongside Jordan’s King Abdullah II.”The resumption of Israeli strikes yesterday (Tuesday), despite the efforts of mediators, represents a dramatic step backwards,” Macron said ahead of talks in Paris with Abdullah.”It’s dramatic for the Palestinians of Gaza, who are again plunged into the terror of bombardment, and dramatic for the (Israeli) hostages and their families who live in the nightmare of uncertainty.”Israel earlier this week carried out its deadliest bombing of Gaza since a fragile ceasefire began in January between Israel and the Palestinian territory’s Islamist rulers Hamas.The renewed Israeli air strikes in the night of Monday to Tuesday killed more than 400 people, according to the Gaza health ministry. They have continued since.Macron slammed Hamas, saying the “axis of resistance is today an illusion”, but also warned Israel that there could be “no Israeli military solution in Gaza”.The Jordanian king called the strikes “an extremely dangerous step that adds further devastation to an already dire humanitarian situation”.”The ceasefire must be restored and the flow of aid must resume immediately,” Abdullah said.- ‘Ready to contribute’ -After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Gazans endured more than 15 months of devastating conflict before a fragile cessation of hostilities took effect on January 19.As ceasefire talks stalled earlier this month, Israel cut off humanitarian aid and electricity to Gaza in a bid to pressure Hamas to give in to its terms. If the war stops, France has thrown its support behind a plan put forward by Arab nations, including Jordan, to rebuild Gaza without evicting its 2.4 million Palestinian residents.”We French and Europeans are ready to contribute to these deliberations and to this plan,” Macron said.Macron said he and other European leaders would discuss it on Thursday at the European Council, “among ourselves and with the Secretary General of the United Nations”.France, Britain, Germany and Italy earlier this month backed the plan, hailing it as a “realistic path” for Gaza to return to the control of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority after nearly two decades of Hamas rule.Israel and the United States have rejected the proposal.It came after US President Donald Trump triggered global outrage when he suggested the US “take over” Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, while forcing its Palestinian inhabitants to relocate to Egypt or Jordan.- ‘Palestinian state’ -Long term, said Macron, work should focus on “a Palestinian state to finally give back Palestinians their legitimate right”, though this should come with the “necessary security guarantees for Israel”.Abdullah said: “A political solution that leads to peace on the basis of a two-state solution is the only way to guarantee security for Palestinians, Israelis in the region.” The so-called two-state solution would see a new Palestinian state live peacefully side by side with an Israeli one.It was part of a peace plan in the 1990s but Israel has since only deepened its occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, the bulk of the land which was to make up a future Palestinian state.The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.Israel’s retaliation in Gaza has killed at least 49,547 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry.Of the 251 hostages seized during the attack, 58 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
