Emmanuel Macron tried this Thursday in Paris to mobilize dozens of representatives of countries and international organizations to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and push for a ceasefire in preparation for a future ceasefire. According to sources at the Elysée Palace, participants have pledged more than a billion euros. The UN had estimated immediate needs by the end of the year at 1.1 billion. Part of the announced sum had already been pledged in the last few weeks.
“Today the situation is serious and is getting worse day by day,” Macron said at the opening of the conference at the Elysee Palace. “A very rapid humanitarian pause and ceasefire measures are necessary. “We must create the necessary space for humanitarian actors to operate in Gaza.”
More information
It was the first time Macron publicly used the word “ceasefire,” which has been the subject of semantic debate in Western capitals since Israeli bombings of Gaza began to increase following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. The statement coincides with the White House’s announcement of a four-hour daily pause in Israeli military operations to facilitate the evacuation of civilians from the northern Gaza Strip to the southern Palestinian enclave and access to humanitarian aid.
“Thousands of dead children cannot be collateral damage,” Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, said at the Elysée Palace. “Forcing millions of people from their homes and concentrating them in areas without adequate infrastructure is forced displacement.” Severe restrictions on food, water and medicine are collective punishment,” emphasized Lazzarini.
Other initiatives proposed during the conference include the airdrop of medical supplies to Gaza by Jordan and the opening of a maritime corridor with Cyprus.
Join EL PAÍS to follow all the news and read without restrictions.
Subscribe to
Macron decided to convene the conference a few days ago, taking advantage of the celebrations of the so-called Paris Peace Forum, an annual call to promote multilateralism. For the French president, it was about speeding up the international response to humanitarian needs in Gaza, where Israeli bombings have already claimed more than 10,000 lives, according to the Palestinian enclave’s health ministry. The aim was also to demonstrate French leadership at a difficult time in Europe in order to refine the message and influence the conflict. Most delegations had the rank of minister or below. Israel did not attend the meeting.
Follow all international information on Facebook and Xor in our weekly newsletter.
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits
_