French diplomatic advisor to French President, Emmanuel Bonne (C) speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron (R) next to French Foreign and European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna (L) during an international humanitarian conference for civilians in Gaza, at the Elysee Presidential Palace, in Paris, on Nov. 9, 2023. (Credit: Ludovic Marin/AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel, during an interview with the BBC on the periphery of an international peace forum in France on Friday, to stop bombing civilians in Gaza and that there was "no justification" for such actions that would only lead to further "resentment."
While Macron reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself, he added that "these babies, these ladies, these old people are bombed and killed."
Gaza's health ministry has said that over 11,000 people have been killed and over 27,000 injured – the vast majority of whom are civilians – in Gaza since the start of the war on Oct. 7.
"So there is no reason for that and no legitimacy. So we do urge Israel to stop," the French president said.
He added that it was important for Israel's short- and long-term security to "recognize that all lives matter" and that he disagreed that the best way for Israel to protect itself was to have a "large bombing of Gaza."
Israel has said that it takes great measures to avoid civilian casualties but that Hamas hide amongst the civilian population making it harder to prevent civilian deaths. Israel has also called on civilians to leave northern Gaza for the south where they said that it is safer for them. However, even after making this announcement, Israel has continued to bomb southern Gaza.
During a humanitarian conference in Paris on Thursday, there was a consensus between the countries and aid agencies in attendance that a humanitarian pause followed by a ceasefire was the only way to protect the people of Gaza.
Macron, along with other world leaders, has visited Israel in the weeks since the Oct. 7 attack that left 1,200 people killed in a show of solidarity with Israel. However, as the war has dragged on and the death toll has risen, there has been growing unease among Israel's allies with an increasing number of them advocating for humanitarian pauses or ceasefires.