French President Emmanuel Macron today urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to open a second crossing point, at Kerem Shalom, for the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which is “urgently needed” by the population of the Palestinian enclave.

In a telephone conversation that the two leaders had earlier, Macron “recalled the need to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip and underlined the importance of achieving a lasting ceasefire“, says the announcement issued by the French presidency.

Emmanuel Macron reiterated to Benjamin Netanyahu the need to take action to stop settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, at least 264 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by the Israeli army or Jewish settlers, according to a Palestinian Authority tally.

On Saturday, the French president stressed the need to “redouble efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire” after the collapse of the previous one, warning Israel that if it persists in its goal of “the total destruction of Hamas” then the war could last 10 years.

Macron reiterated France’s solidarity in Israel’s fight against terrorism and stressed that the highest priority was the release of all Hamas hostages, including four French nationals.