Relatives mourn the bodies of the al-Khour family in the courtyard of al-Shifa hospital after their house was hit by an Israeli strike in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, on April 26, 2025. (Credit: Omar al-Qattaa/AFP)
France is asking Israel to "stop the massacre happening today in Gaza," government spokesperson Sophie Primas said Monday.
She told the press that Paris is also demanding the release of the hostages still held by Hamas in the territory, and a "demilitarization" of the Palestinian Islamist movement that controls it, as well as a "renewal of the Palestinian Authority." These are, according to her, "the conditions for moving towards the recognition" of a Palestinian state, which Emmanuel Macron has considered for June.
The French head of state is set to co-chair in June with Saudi Arabia an international conference at the United Nations to revive the two-state solution, Palestinian and Israeli. He expressed hope that this would "trigger a series of recognitions" of a Palestinian state, notably by France, but also of Israel by several countries in the Arab-Muslim world.
"I believe that discussions are indeed progressing; obviously, we do not advertise these extremely sensitive and delicate matters every two days," Primas said regarding the negotiations with an eye on this June meeting.
