France joins international calls for ceasefire in Gaza amid criticism at Olympics

The international chorus of calls for an end to the Gaza genocidal war has gathered more voices, with, French President Emmanuel Macron demanding an “immediate ceasefire” in war-torn Gaza in a meeting with Israeli president Isaac Herzog in Paris.

The call was made just a few hours before the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.

A press release read, “Faced with the unbearable human toll among the civilian population of Gaza and the unsustainable humanitarian situation, the president will call for the conclusion without further delay of an immediate and lasting ceasefire to allow the release of all the ‘hostages’ of Hamas, including that of our two compatriots, as well as the huge delivery of medical and humanitarian aid.”

The Israeli team’s participation is a subject of controversy within the pro-Palestinian community as the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza escalates.

Earlier. Australia, Canada and New Zealand called for an “immediate” ceasefire in Gaza, warning of “disastrous” consequences of the regional expansion of the conflict.

Stressing that “the situation in Gaza is catastrophic,” the prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand on Friday stressed that “An immediate ceasefire is needed desperately.”

“The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue,” the trio said in a joint statement on Friday.

They also emphasized, “Israel must listen to the concerns of the international community.”

“The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law,” the strongly worded statement added.

It also called on Israel to “respond substantively” to the top United Nations’ court which last week ruled that Israel’s presence in the 1967-occupied Palestinian territories is “unlawful” and must end.

“We call on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion, and ensure accountability for ongoing acts of violence against Palestinians by extremist settlers, reverse the record expansion of settlements in the West Bank which are illegal under international law, and work towards a two-state solution.”

Israel's foreign ministry last week labeled the ICJ’s ruling as "fundamentally wrong" and one-sided.

Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East al-Quds, areas Palestinians want for a future independent state, in a 1967 war.

UN’s top court says Israel's presence in Palestinian territories ‘illegal’

The United Nations’ top court has ruled that Israel’s presence in the 1967-occupied Palestinian territories is “unlawful” and must end.

The three prime ministers also expressed their grave concern about the risk of regional expansion of the conflict, amid clashes between Israeli forces and fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement, which has been conducting operations in solidarity with the Palestinians since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.

“This escalation in hostilities only makes a ceasefire in Gaza more urgent,” the statement said, noting that a wider scale war would have “disastrous” consequences for the entire region.

It was the third time the three prime ministers have issued a joint statement about the war in Gaza.

In December, they pressed for “a sustainable ceasefire”. In February, they spoke out against the prospect of an Israeli invasion of the refugee-packed city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

The Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 39,175 Palestinians and injured over 90,403 since the start of the offensive. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.

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