Macron warns Israel that Gaza occupation plan risks ‘war without end'
President Macron has denounced Israel's plan to expand its operations and seize control of Gaza City, warning it was a "disaster" that risked locking the region into "permanent war".
This conflict "must end now with a lasting ceasefire," Macron urged in a statement this Monday, describing Israel's proposed takeover of Gaza City as "a disaster of unprecedented gravity – a headlong rush into a war without end."
"The Israeli hostages and the people of Gaza will remain the main victims of such a strategy," he added.
Israeli plan for Gaza takeover must be halted immediately: UN rights chief
Israel announced its military would "take control" of Gaza City, a plan signed off by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet which has drawn sharp criticism from across the globe.
Macron called for the creation of a UN-mandated stabilisation mission to help secure the Gaza Strip.
"The Security Council must now act to establish such a mission and grant it the necessary mandate,' he said. 'I have instructed my teams to begin work on this immediately with our partners."
Israel defends Gaza occupation plan
On Sunday, Netanyahu defended the plan, insisting: 'Israel has no choice but to finish the job and ensure the complete defeat of Hamas. We already have about 70 to 75 percent of Gaza under military control – but two strongholds remain: Gaza City and the central camps in Al Mawasi.'
Palestinian witnesses reported the heaviest bombardments in weeks on Monday in the eastern suburbs of Gaza City, just hours after Netanyahu said he had ordered the Israeli Defence Forces to speed up their timetable for seizing the city.
Tanks and warplanes pounded areas including Sabra, Zeitoun and Shejaia, forcing families to flee westwards.
Germany's Merz defends stopping weapons deliveries to Israel
Although the Israeli military said it was targeting Hamas militants and dismantling launch sites, residents described one of the worst nights in weeks, raising fears that preparations were under way for a deeper push into the city, which now shelters around a million displaced people.
The latest military plans have intensified alarm abroad. Alongside Macron's condemnation, Germany announced it would halt exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza, while Britain and other European allies urged Israel to rethink its policy.
The United States' ambassador to Israel criticised what he saw as some countries pressuring Israel rather than Hamas.
Famine unfolding
Meanwhile, the United Nations and humanitarian agencies have condemned the planned expansion.
"If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza," UN Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenca told the Security Council on Sunday.
UN agencies warned last month that famine was unfolding in the territory, with Israel severely restricting the entry of aid.
Defining famine: the complex process behind Gaza's hunger crisis
Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable.
Hamas's October, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to a tally kept by French news agency AFP, based on official figures.
(With Newswires)
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