French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Gaza militants Hamas to be added to the targets of an international coalition against the Islamic State armed group, during a visit to Israel and the West Bank.
On a solidarity visit to Israel after the 7 October attacks, Macron called Tuesday for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State to turn their attention to Hamas, adding there had to be a "decisive relaunch" of the Middle East peace process.
This, following talks with leaders in Israel, whose army is building up to a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip with the declared aim of "eradicating" Hamas.
The French president said the Global Coalition against the Islamic State group, "should also fight against Hamas" and that he had proposed this in talks with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to other "international partners".
Speaking during a joint news conference with Netanyahu, he said "We should build a regional and international coalition to battle against terrorist groups that threaten us all."
The coalition was set up in 2014 and reportedly consists of 86 "members" – countries and groups such as the European Union and the Arab League.
To date, the coalition has focused on countering IS in Iraq and Syria but is also aimed at cutting off funding to the jihadists, the sharing of intelligence and support for many countries, including the training of Iraqi forces.
Déclaration conjointe avec Benyamin Netanyahou, Premier ministre de l’État d’Israël. pic.twitter.com/eB2aQsLcYO
— Élysée (@Elysee) October 24, 2023
Peace process
Macron said extending the coalition would benefit Israel and its neighbours who are also "threatened" by Hamas, which is branded a terrorist organisation by the European Union and United States.
"The battle must be without mercy, but not without rules because we are democracies which fight against terrorists, democracies which respect the right to war and assure humanitarian access," Macron said.
Macron's office said before his visit that he would seek a "humanitarian truce" in Gaza while in Israel, but no mention was made after his talks with Netanyahu.
The French leader did, however, call for a "decisive" new effort to move toward a Palestinian state, declaring: "The Palestinian cause must be heard with reason".
"Israel's security cannot be sustainable with a decisive relaunch of the political process with the Palestinians."
This is how the city of Beit Hanoun,in the northeastern Gaza Strip, became due to the destructive #Israeli occupation war.
— State of Palestine - MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) October 23, 2023
Dozens of families are still under the rubble, and no one can reach them.#Gaza_under_attack#Palestine#Israeliwarcrimes pic.twitter.com/gSg8nj3Oc9
West Bank meeting
Later Tuesday, Macron met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank to discuss the conflict in a meeting and trip to Ramallah that Macron described as “essential".
He said that while the Hamas attack had been traumatic for Israel it also was a disaster for the Palestinian people.
"Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people," Macron told reporters alongside Palestinian Abbas in Ramallah, in the West Bank.
Fears of conflict spreading
With the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group daily trading artillery fire with the army across the Lebanon-Israel border, Western governments are concerned the conflict could spread.
Macron named Hezbollah, Iran and the Huthis in Yemen when he said they should "not take the ill-considered risk of opening new fronts".
This comes as the Hamas administration in Gaza claims at least 5,791 people have been killed in Israel's retaliatory bombardment of the Palestinian enclave, mainly civilians.
Israel maintains that its hundreds of air raids each day aim for Hamas leaders and military targets.
