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French President Emmanuel Macron appears to have backtracked on comments he made in an interview with the BBC on Friday concerning Israeli attacks killing dozens of people in Gaza while asking for a truce.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted angrily, accusing Macron of making “a serious mistake, factually and morally.”
According to the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the French president initiated a phone discussion with Israel’s president on Sunday to clarify his position, claiming that he “did not intend to accuse Israel of intentionally harming innocent civilians.”
According to Herzog, the words “caused much pain and upset in Israel.”
Macron also repeated his support for Israel’s right to self-defense and his determination to obtain the release of hostages held in Gaza, saying that his remarks were “made in reference to the humanitarian situation.”
Herzog reportedly informed his French counterpart that Israel was taking “all possible measures to prevent harm to uninvolved civilians,” and blamed Hamas for civilian casualties.
Macron told the BBC on Friday that he “clearly condemns” the Hamas attack on Israel. On the other hand, he added that “de facto, today, civilians are bombed… these babies, these ladies, these old people are bombed and killed.”
He went on to say that “there is no reason for that and no legitimacy,” and he urged Israel to cease. He went on to say that the only option was a humanitarian ceasefire.
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded to Macron’s call by claiming that Hamas was to blame for all deaths in Gaza because it was using “schools, mosques, and hospitals as terror command centres” and civilians as human shields.
“These crimes that Hamas-ISIS is committing today in Gaza will be committed tomorrow in Paris, New York, and all over the world.” “The world must condemn Hamas-ISIS, not Israel,” Netanyahu stated.
According to Israel, 1,200 of its nationals were slain and 240 were abducted during Hamas’s October 7 raid. As of Friday, more than 11,000 Palestinians had been killed and 27,490 had been injured in Gaza as a result of Israel’s month-long offensive. According to local authorities, another 1.5 million people have been displaced.