Macron ‘never implied’ Israel is deliberately targeting civilians, says French source

Following strong pushback in Israel, France seeks to walk back President Emmanuel Macron’s remark that there’s “no justification” for Israel’s bombing of “these babies, these ladies, these old people” in Gaza.

“President Macron never implied, and does not think, that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting civilians. He has been consistently qualifying Hamas’s use of hostages or civilian population as ‘unacceptable blackmail,'” says a French diplomatic source.

The source also reiterates Macron’s condemnation of the October 7 Hamas onslaught.

“While President Macron is aware of Israel’s efforts to prevent collateral damage and facilitate humanitarian access, he believes that more can be done considering the dire humanitarian situation or Gaza’s civilian population,” the source says. “He therefore believes that a humanitarian pause and eventually a ceasefire are opportune to help the civilian population in Gaza get the much needed aid and relief.”