France wants to lead the mobilization of aid for Gaza and distance itself in some way from the rest of Israel's allies, also making visible the need to protect the Palestinian population.. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has organized a humanitarian conference in record time, from which no major announcements are expected, but which symbolizes Paris' position in the conflict, seeks to be somewhat more neutral, although he insists on Israel's right to defend against Hamas.
The objective of the event is to mobilize aid to the area, but above all to unblock access to it, almost impossible due to the Israeli bombings.. At the opening of the conference, Macron asked to work for a ceasefire in Gaza. “Today the situation is serious and deteriorates more every day. We need a quick humanitarian pause and work on a ceasefire,” lamented the French leader, who until now, rather than a ceasefire, had spoken of a humanitarian truce.
The idea is to advance concrete measures, such as the organization of humanitarian corridors by sea and air, but also to increase financial aid. France has announced that it will donate 100 million euros to the Palestinian population, 80 million more than initially planned. France has already announced the sending of a medical ship.
Another idea that Paris is working on, but also at the European level, is the possibility of sheltering seriously injured or sick people.. At the meetings there will be talk about “making this operational”, Elysée sources explain.
Macron defends that first a truce is necessary, so that the population can access the agreed aid, but that work must also begin to, in a second stage, achieve a ceasefire, although, for this to be solid, ” There has to be a negotiation, a will, because it is not a unilateral issue,” these sources explain..
For the French president, Hamas, “by attacking Israel, has assumed responsibility for exposing the Palestinians to terrible consequences”. “In the face of terrorism, Israel has the right to defend itself” but must “respect the law and protect civilians.”. It is an immediate need,” he said this Thursday.
Macron announced the holding of this conference a week ago. It has been somewhat weak, as shown by the fact that there will be no joint declaration but above all by the absence of Israel.. Hardly any top-level representatives have attended, except for some European leaders and the president of the European Commission.. Arab nations have sent delegates. On behalf of the Palestinian Authority, its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shtayyeh, attended.
Three axes
The Paris plan to alleviate the situation in the area seeks to work on three axes: the humanitarian one (making aid accessible to the Palestinian population), the security one (protecting Israel and fighting Hamas) and the political one, with a solution of two states. “The problem is political and the solution has to be political,” Elysée sources recall.
Meanwhile, fears are growing that the conflict will spread throughout the region, especially in southern Lebanon.. “What is happening there is dangerous, and what Hezbollah is doing is putting the Lebanese population at risk, in the same way that Hamas has done with the Palestinian population,” these sources explain..
The United Nations estimates that $1.2 billion in aid will be needed for the populations of Gaza and the West Bank by the end of the year. The president of the European commission, Ursula Von del Leyen, recalled in her speech the importance of the maritime corridor to evacuate the wounded in Egypt and warned that a ceasefire “will prevent the conflict from spreading to the region.”
In recent weeks Macron has tried to balance the balance, in the face of criticism about the excessive alignment of countries in favor of Israel. On his visit to Israel two weeks ago, he also went to Ramallah and met with Mahmoud Abbas. The French president also spoke of the possibility that the international coalition fighting the Islamic State also includes Hamas among its objectives.