French President Emmanuel Macron has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that any forced transfer of people from the southern Gaza city of Rafah would constitute 'a war crime'.
In a telephone call between the two leaders on Sunday, Macron also "strongly condemned" Israel's announcement of the seizure of 800 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank for new settlements.
Activists say Israel's declaration last Friday that land in the northern Jordan Valley was now "state land" was the single largest seizure in decades.
Macron also repeated his opposition to any Israeli military operation to fight Hamas in Rafah, where most of Gaza's population has taken shelter after months of fierce fighting in the territory.
'Unjustifiable situation'
During the call, Macron told Netanyahu he intended to bring a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for "an immediate and lasting ceasefire" and urged Israel to immediately open all crossing points into Gaza.
The UN Security Council will hold a vote on Monday on a new draft resolution, after Russia and China vetoed an earlier text proposed by the United States.
According to the Elysée Palace, Macron also held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II, during which they discussed the "unjustifiable humanitarian situation in Gaza".
Forcing civilians to run the risk of famine was "unjustifiable", the two leaders said.
They also agreed on the need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one that "implied the creation of a Palestinian state including Gaza".
The latest report from #Gaza says famine is looming.
— World Food Programme (@WFP) March 24, 2024
Swipe ⏩ to understand the numbers from @theipcinfo.
To #FightFamine, fighting must stop and aid agencies must be granted full access throughout Gaza, and especially to the north.
Campaign to destroy Hamas
The planned Rafah ground offensive has faced growing international opposition, with warnings it would cause mass civilian casualties and worsen the humanitarian crisis.
Israel has insisted it is necessary in its campaign to destroy Hamas.
The Gaza war was sparked by the unprecedented Hamas attack on 7 October that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians.
Israel has vowed to destroy the militants, who also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes around 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 presumed dead.
After almost six months of fighting at least 32,000 people have been in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
