Hamas leader’s death should be an opportunity for ceasefire talks in Gaza, French president tells Netanyahu

ANKARA

The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week should be seen as an opportunity to “launch a new phase of negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza,” French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . an official statement.

Macron urged Netanyahu to protect civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and prioritize the protection of civilians as he worked toward a ceasefire. He also condemned Israel’s attacks on UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, which injured several peacekeepers in recent weeks.

Macron stressed that Sinwar’s death “should be an opportunity to launch new negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement added.

Since September 23, Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting what it claims are Hezbollah positions. This marks an escalation after a year of cross-border conflict with the Lebanese group, amid Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza.

Lebanese health authorities report that nearly 2,500 people have been killed and more than 11,500 injured in Israeli attacks since last year. On October 1, Israel intensified the conflict by launching a ground attack on southern Lebanon.

The country has continued its brutal offensive against Gaza after a cross-border attack by Hamas last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. Local health authorities report that more than 42,600 people have been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 100,000 have been injured.

Israeli military operations have displaced almost the entire population of Gaza, exacerbated by an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza.

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