PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday urged a halt to arms deliveries to Israel that can be used in its war against Hamas in Gaza.

“I think that today, the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza,” Macron told broadcaster France Inter.

“France is not delivering any,” he added during the interview recorded early this week.

The United States provides about $3 billion in weapons to Israel each year.

In May, the State Department said it did not have enough evidence to block shipments of weapons but that it was “reasonable to assess” that Israel has in some cases used arms in ways inconsistent with standards of humanitarian law.

In September, Britain said it was suspending some arms exports to Israel, citing a “clear risk” that they could be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law.

Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.

It rejects accusations of violations of international law, and argues it has taken unprecedented steps to protect civilians while waging its campaign to eliminate Hamas.

Macron reiterated his concern over the conflict in Gaza that is continuing despite repeated calls for a ceasefire.

“I think we are not being heard,” he said. “I think it is a mistake, including for the security of Israel,” he said, adding that the conflict was leading to “hatred.”

Macron also said avoiding an escalation in Lebanon was a “priority.”

“Lebanon cannot become a new Gaza,” he added.

On Monday Israel marks the first anniversary of the devastating October 7 Hamas massacres that sparked the war, when Hamas-led terrorists slaughtered some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages to Gaza while committing numerous atrocities.

The war has now engulfed neighboring Lebanon. Hezbollah began launching attacks on Israel on October 8, creating a perilous regional crisis. After nearly a year of warnings to the terror group, Israel in recent weeks launched a major campaign against it that this week saw ground forces enter the country’s south to clear Hezbollah infrastructure.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 41,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting there so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed some 17,000 combatants in battle and another 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.