French President Emmanuel Macron said Israel’s blocking of humanitarian aid to Gaza is “unacceptable” and “shameful” in comments that were quickly denounced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“It’s terrible. … There’s no water. There are no medicines. They can no longer evacuate the injured,” Macron said in an interview on the French television channel TF1. “I say it forcefully, what the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is doing today is unacceptable.”
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The Israeli military suspended the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza in early March and restarted its aerial campaign on March 18 — decisions Israeli officials said were made to increase the pressure on Hamas to give up the remaining 58 hostages it has held since Oct. 7, 2023.
Netanyahu’s office responded, accusing Macron of “standing with a murderous Islamist terrorist organization and echoing its despicable propaganda.”
“Instead of supporting the Western democratic camp fighting the Islamist terrorist organizations and calling for the release of the hostages, Macron is once again demanding that Israel surrender and reward terrorism,” the prime minister’s office said. ” … Netanyahu is determined to accomplish all of Israel’s war goals, including the release of all our hostages, destroy Hamas’s military and governance capabilities, and ensure that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel.”
Israeli leaders have accused opponents of their military operations in Gaza of supporting Hamas, which carried out the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in southern Israel that started the devastating war in the Gaza Strip.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his administration has been “working tirelessly” to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
“We continue to work to get that war ended as quickly as possible. It’s a horrible thing that’s taking place,” he said.
“The people of Gaza deserve a much better future, but that will or cannot occur as long as their leaders choose to kidnap, torture, and target innocent men, women, and children for political ends,” he added.
Israel accused Hamas of stealing aid that was allowed to enter Gaza. However, it has not come up with a viable alternative plan to aid civilians in need of help. The Trump administration has been pursuing a new strategy to restart humanitarian efforts, though many experts, including the United Nations, have panned the intended strategy.
“We need the United States. President Trump has the levers. I have had tough words with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I got angry, but [Israel doesn’t] depend on us, they depend on American weapons,” Macron said.
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Earlier this week, Hamas released Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli American. He was the first hostage to be released since Israel commenced the aid blockade and resumed its military bombardment.
Trump is currently in Qatar, one day after he visited Saudi Arabia. He is expected to visit the United Arab Emirates later this week but is not scheduled to visit Israel. This is Trump’s first trip to the Middle East since he returned to office.