ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday condemned the renewed Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, noting the horror they are causing in the local population.

"The resumption of Israeli airstrikes is a dramatic step backward, plunging the people of Gaza once again into the terror of bombings," Macron said in a joint news conference with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Paris.

Macron emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire to halt the escalating violence.

“It is essential that all parties return to the negotiating table under international leadership, notably, the United States," Macron said.

The remarks came after the Israeli army pounded the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing more than 400 people and injuring hundreds of others, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

It is the most severe violence Gaza has witnessed since a ceasefire took effect on Jan. 19.

Macron also highlighted the devastating impact on hostages and their families.

"It is tragic for the hostages and their families, who live in the nightmare of waiting and uncertainty," Macron said.

He condemned the practice of hostage-taking, calling it an unsustainable policy that has never led to military or political victory.

The French president said a political solution is the only viable path forward for Gaza and the broader region, adding that military force will not bring lasting peace.

Macron also voiced support for an Arab-led initiative to rebuild and create a new governance structure for Gaza.

France and the EU are committed to working alongside Jordan and other regional powers to help rebuild Gaza and restore stability, he added.

King Abdullah says attacks undermine peace progress

Abdullah, for his part, described Israel’s ongoing strikes and blockade on aid, water, and electricity as "extreme measures" that put the lives of vulnerable civilians at grave risk.

"The international community must act immediately and collectively push for restoring the ceasefire and the implementation of its phases," he said.

Jordan, he said, has been actively delivering aid to Gaza by land, sea, and air, and has begun evacuating severely injured and sick children for medical treatment in Jordan.

Abdullah also warned against escalating violence in the West Bank, where more than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced this year.

Forced displacements, attacks on civilians, and violations of international law threaten regional stability, he added.

"If the attacks on Palestinian people and property and violations of international law are allowed to continue, they will undermine peace progress," the Jordanian king said.

"A political solution that leads to peace on the basis of a two-state solution is the only way to guarantee security for Palestinians Israelis in the region,” he added.