France calls for 'immediate and durable' ceasefire in Gaza

France has voiced its concern over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire. The French Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna, expressed her deep concern about the situation in Gaza, stating that the civilian casualties were alarmingly high. In contrast, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen argued that a ceasefire would be a mistake, equating it to a concession to Hamas. The UK and Germany had previously called for a sustainable ceasefire, but did not insist on its immediate implementation.

Ms. Colonna arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday to meet with her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen. Prior to her visit, the French Foreign Ministry released a statement indicating that she would advocate for a truce, which should lead to a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the provision of aid to Gaza. During her meeting with Mr. Cohen, Ms. Colonna emphasized that the victims of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 should not be forgotten. Mr. Cohen reiterated the Israeli government's stance that there would be no ceasefire. However, he acknowledged that France could play a significant role in preventing the escalation of regional tensions. He further stated that while Israel has no intention of opening another front on its northern border with Lebanon, it would take necessary measures to protect its citizens. Israel has been involved in regular cross-border skirmishes with armed groups in southern Lebanon, particularly the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Earlier on Sunday, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for a sustainable ceasefire in the conflict.

In a joint article published in the Sunday Times, Lord Cameron expressed his support for a ceasefire only if it was sustainable in the long term. This represents a shift in tone from the UK government, but it does not go as far as calling for an immediate ceasefire. On Tuesday, the UK and Germany abstained from voting on a United Nations resolution calling for a ceasefire, which was supported by 153 countries. Lord Cameron wrote in his article that calling for an immediate and general ceasefire, hoping it would somehow become permanent, was not the right approach. He questioned whether Hamas would cease firing rockets and release the hostages. He argued that an unsustainable ceasefire, which could quickly collapse into further violence, would only make it more difficult to build the confidence necessary for peace. Instead, the UK and Germany are advocating for further humanitarian pauses to allow more aid to enter and more hostages to be released. Ms. Colonna is also scheduled to meet with the families of French hostages still being held by Hamas during her visit to Israel. She referred to allegations of sexual assault during the October 7 attacks, stating that France believed the victims and those who witnessed the alleged attacks. Earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recovered the body of 28-year-old French-Israeli hostage Elya Toledano. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israeli government is still working to recover all the hostages held in Gaza, asserting that military pressure on Hamas was necessary to secure their release. Mr. Netanyahu indicated that negotiations are underway, with reports suggesting that both Egypt and Qatar are involved in the discussions. However, Hamas has stated that there will be no negotiations to release hostages unless the aggression against our people stops once and for all. On Friday, the IDF accidentally killed three Israeli hostages during its operations in Gaza. Yotam Haim, 28, Samer Talalka, 22, and Alon Shamriz, 26 were shot while holding a white cloth - the IDF stated that the incident was against our rules of engagement and that it was investigating the incident. More than 120 people are still being held in Gaza, and the accidental killing has increased pressure on Israeli authorities to negotiate their release. France's Foreign Ministry has also demanded an explanation from Israel regarding an airstrike that killed one of its staff in Rafah this week. The employee succumbed to his injuries as a result of the strike in Rafah. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports that more than 18,700 people have been killed and over 50,000 injured in the territory since the start of the war.