Macron fears 'permanent war' amid fresh Israeli offensive

Paris [France], August 21: French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday warned of a "permanent war" amid Israel's planned military operation in Gaza City.
"The military offensive in Gaza that Israel is preparing can only lead to disaster for both peoples and risks plunging the entire region into a cycle of permanent war," Macron wrote on X after talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sissi.
Macron reiterated his call for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. He also named the release of all hostages, a large-scale provision of humanitarian aid for the people in Gaza as well as the disarmament of the Palestinian Hamas organization and the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority as prerequisites for an end to the war.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has approved a military deployment plan to capture Gaza City, according to media reports.
The authorization came despite Hamas saying it had presented a "positive response" to a fresh proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to international mediators.
Macron has stepped up his critique of Israel in recent months over its conduct in Gaza. He has also pledged to recognize a Palestinian state, a move lambasted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Source: Qatar Tribune