French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called for a tougher collective stance from European countries toward Israel if it fails to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. With international pressure growing over the severe hunger crisis in the region, Macron stressed the need for urgent action “in the next few hours and days.”
He also reiterated that the recognition of a Palestinian state, under specific conditions, is “not only a moral duty, but a political necessity.”
Earlier this week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot declared France’s strong commitment to recognising a Palestinian state, sharply criticising Israel for what he described as the “indefensible” conditions in Gaza, brought on by ongoing military operations and a humanitarian blockade.
Barrot reaffirmed Paris’s support for a Netherlands-led initiative to reassess the European Union’s cooperation agreement with Israel—an agreement that governs political and economic relations and could be subject to revision.
President Macron has left open the option for France to officially recognise a Palestinian state during a UN conference scheduled for June, potentially joining other European nations who have taken similar steps.
“We cannot leave the children of Gaza a legacy of violence and hatred. This must end,” Barrot stated during an interview with France Inter radio. “That’s why we are determined to recognise a Palestinian state. I am actively working toward this goal, in pursuit of a political resolution that supports both Palestinian rights and Israeli security.”
Meanwhile, a U.S.-backed proposal for Gaza, obtained by Reuters on Friday, suggests a 60-day ceasefire. Under the plan, Hamas would release 28 Israeli hostages—both alive and deceased—during the first week, while Israel would free 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and return the remains of 180 Palestinians.
The proposal, reportedly backed by U.S. President Donald Trump and coordinated with mediators Egypt and Qatar, would also facilitate immediate humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza once Hamas agrees to the terms.
The plan outlines that Hamas would release the remaining 30 hostages upon the establishment of a permanent ceasefire.
According to the White House, Israel has accepted the U.S. ceasefire proposal.
