Key points
- France to coordinate efforts with US, Israel
- UN, Palestinian Authority discuss Gaza governance
- Over 67,800 Palestinians killed since October 2023
ANKARA: French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will intensify its humanitarian operations in Gaza following the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit held in Egypt.
Speaking to reporters at the airport after the summit, Macron expressed satisfaction that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was holding and confirmed the release of all 20 living Israeli hostages by the Palestinian group, according to Anadolu Agency.
He stated that “all of the hostages had been released” and that aid operations in Gaza had begun “with greater intensity than planned,” adding that humanitarian efforts would be further accelerated from Tuesday.
Macron said France would work in coordination with the United States and Israel to ensure the continuous and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to the besieged enclave.
Humanitarian aid conference for Gaza
He announced that a humanitarian aid conference for Gaza would be organised in the coming weeks as part of the ceasefire’s first phase, adding that “in the second phase, funds will be mobilised to rapidly restart the stabilisation and reconstruction of Gaza.”
Acknowledging ongoing uncertainties surrounding Gaza’s future governance, Macron noted that the UN Security Council had reached a consensus between the Palestinian Authority and other states to move towards a resolution and that technical discussions on Hamas’s disarmament would soon commence.
Withdrawal of Israeli forces
Last week, US President Donald Trump revealed that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a plan he proposed to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, release all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and enable a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory. The first phase of the deal came into effect on Friday.
The second phase involves setting up a new governing structure in Gaza, forming a multinational security force, and disarming Hamas.
Earlier on Monday, Palestinian prisoners began to be released from Israeli jails following Hamas’s release of all 20 Israeli captives from Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed over 67,800 Palestinians — most of them women and children — leaving much of Gaza in ruins and largely uninhabitable.
