The French Minister of Foreign Affairs met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel had destroyed 18 of Hamas’ 24 battalions in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Prime Minister reiterated his determination to achieve total victory against the Islamist organization, after the attacks of October 7.
But several testimonies seem to indicate that Hamas fighters have returned to certain areas in the north of the Palestinian enclave since the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Diplomatic efforts
Diplomatic efforts continue. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday hoping to advance a possible ceasefire deal and post-war planning.
Visiting Jerusalem, the new French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, also called for a ceasefire: “The ongoing tragedy in Gaza must end. We demand respect for international humanitarian law by all, an immediate and lasting ceasefire and a massive influx of humanitarian aid. There are also equally violent comments that are spreading hatred of Palestinians or even calls to commit war crimes. These comments are more and more numerous in Israel and they are relayed by political leaders, we find this serious.”
More than 27,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza since the start of the Israeli response, according to the Hamas health ministry, which says most of them are women and children.