Emmanuel Macron was in Israel then in the occupied West Bank this Tuesday, here is what you need to remember.
The Palestinian authorities reported on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, more than 700 deaths in Gaza in Israeli airstrikes carried out last night, a one-day record since the IDF began its strikes in retaliation for the bloody Israeli attack. Hamas which left 1,400 dead in Israel.
Since then, around 5,800 Palestinians, including more than 2,300 children, have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to the toll reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health. Entire neighborhoods of the enclave were razed, ahead of a ground offensive announced by Israel with the objective of “eradicating” Hamas.
The first humanitarian convoys arrive
Israel said it killed dozens of Hamas fighters in overnight strikes that targeted the besieged enclave, while admitting that completely eradicating the Islamist group would take time. While the Israeli army has amassed soldiers and tanks on its border with Gaza, in the north, with a view to a ground operation, international calls for the delivery of humanitarian aid are increasing.
The enclave is experiencing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with a shortage of food, water, fuel and medicine. The first convoys of trucks carrying aid have arrived since Saturday via the Rafah border crossing point in Egypt, the only access to Gaza not controlled by Israel.
Emmanuel Macron in Israel and the West Bank
Emmanuel Macron visited Israel on Tuesday where he reiterated France’s support in the face of “terrorism” and suggested that the international coalition fighting against the Islamic State (IS) group engage with Israel against Hamas. He then traveled to the occupied West Bank, where he said the Hamas attack was also a “catastrophe” for the Palestinians.
The French president stressed that one of his priorities was the release of all hostages held by Hamas, a comment made a day after the release of two Israeli women, bringing to four the number of hostages freed by Hamas in the framework of mediations of Qatar and Egypt.
Calls from the international community
Several Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden who has requested billions of dollars in additional aid for Israel, made trips to the region last week. Sources said the United States was asking Israel to refrain from launching an invasion of Gaza for the time being, citing a desire to secure the release of hostages and prepare for a possible regional escalation of the conflict.
Qatar, which has long been in contact with Hamas and Israel, is pressing the Palestinian group to speed up the release of civilian hostages, we learned from diplomats and sources familiar with the discussions.
2023-10-24 21:48:59
#IsraelHamas #war #air #strikes #visit #Emmanuel #Macron #humanitarian #convoys.. #remember #Tuesday
