French President Emmanuel Macron met with the families of the kidnapped Israelis, who also have French citizenship. Those whose relatives were killed by Hamas were also present at the meeting.
Macron said: “We are bound to Israel by mourning. Thirty of our compatriots were killed on October 7, and another nine people are still alive, missing or being held hostage. In Tel Aviv, I told these families that the French people stand in solidarity with them.”
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Israel and met with the families of kidnapped Israelis who also have French citizenship. pic.twitter.com/Eq6sIvxJqz
— Sprinter (@Sprinter99800) October 24, 2023
Macron arrived at the presidential residence in Jerusalem and met with the country’s President, Isaac Herzog. Before the French President, several Western leaders visited the war-torn nation, including Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Giorgia Meloni and Olaf Scholz.
President Macron also met the French families affected by the Israel-Hamas war. He expressed his country’s “full solidarity” with Israel.
The war has entered its seventeenth day with one of the most deadly airstrikes launched by Israel on Gaza. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, dozens of people were killed, and others were severely injured in a new Israel airstrike on Al-Shati Camp.
Two Israeli hostages were released from Hamas custody on Monday amid growing international pressure to secure the release of more than 200 captives held in Gaza.
It comes as the United States urges Israel to delay its ground invasion to give more time for hostage negotiations. The US is becoming more concerned that its forces will get dragged into a tremendous fight if the conflict escalates.
Hamas has uploaded a video of releasing two elderly hostages, but Israel says at least 220 people are still held captive. Israel continues airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, and a third convoy of humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza.
