French President Emmanuel Macron Visits Israel, Says Hostage Release Must Be ‘First Objective’ In Gaza War

Macron is the latest in a series of Western leaders who made a solidarity visit to Israel after the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

TEL AVIV: French President Emmanuel Macron made a significant visit to Tel Aviv on Tuesday, expressing France's unwavering support for Israel in the wake of the tragic October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas. Macron's visit comes more than two weeks after the incursion by Hamas militants into Israel from the Gaza Strip, resulting in the loss of over 1,400 lives, primarily innocent civilians who suffered from various forms of violence during the initial days of the assault, according to Israeli authorities. This included the unfortunate fate of 30 French citizens.

Macron stressed that the immediate and foremost objective for Israel in the Gaza conflict should be the safe release of all hostages held by Hamas. 

#WATCH | "...The first objective should be the release of all hostages without any distinction...You are not alone in this war against terrorism...," says French President Emmanuel Macron to Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.

(video source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/t9XhBHkb0e

— ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2023

Meeting With Mahmoud Abbas In Ramalla

His visit includes a scheduled meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Tuesday, an announcement made by The Times of Israel, quoting the Palestinian Authority leader's office. The French presidency did not provide immediate confirmation of this meeting, according to The Times of Israel. Upon his arrival in Israel, Macron stood in solidarity with the nation, acknowledging the severe loss Israel suffered due to the October 7 attacks by the Palestinian terror group Hamas. 

He held discussions with his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, before proceeding to Tel Aviv, where he met with the families of both French and French-Israeli nationals who fell victim to the Hamas attack or remained hostage in Gaza.

Furthermore, Macron was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reiterate France's unshakable support for Israel, as reported by The Times of Israel. His visit takes place more than two weeks after the Hamas attack, which resulted in a devastating loss of over 1,400 lives, predominantly civilians who endured violence in their homes and at public events, including an outdoor music festival. Thirty of the victims were French citizens.

Additionally, at least 224 individuals were taken hostage and transported to Gaza. One of the missing French nationals, a woman, was confirmed as one of the captives held by Hamas. While official confirmation is pending, Macron asserted that others were likely held captive as well. Macron and Netanyahu are scheduled to conduct a joint press conference later today.

Israel's offensive is primarily aimed at dismantling Hamas's infrastructure and has vowed to eliminate the entire terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip, as stated by the IDF. 

Humanitarian Truce In Gaza

Macron is specifically advocating for a "humanitarian truce" to enable the delivery of essential relief to Gaza. The area, home to 2.4 million residents, is in dire need of basic necessities, such as water, food, and electricity, due to an Israeli-imposed blockade, as highlighted by the Elysee Palace.

Preventing Escalation Of Conflict

Furthermore, the French president's objective is to prevent an escalation of hostilities in the region, according to the Elysee's statement, amidst rising concerns about the cross-border clashes between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon, supported by Iran, as detailed by The Times of Israel.

Macron will also propose the revitalization of a "genuine peace process," which aims to establish a viable Palestinian state in exchange for security assurances from regional powers concerning Israel's safety. Notably, other world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, have visited Israel in solidarity since the onset of the conflict.