Macron issues 'war crime warning' to Netanyahu over forced displacement in Gaza

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call that forcibly moving people from Rafah in southern Gaza would be considered a war crime.

Macron also criticized Israel's plan to annex 800 hectares in the West Bank for settlements, the largest land claim in decades. He opposed any Israeli military action against Hamas in Rafah, where many Gazans have sought refuge amid ongoing conflict.

Macron plans to propose a UN Security Council resolution for an immediate ceasefire and demands Israel to open Gaza's crossings. This follows a veto by Russia and China on a US-proposed resolution.

In discussions with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Macron highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling the risk of famine unjustifiable. Both leaders stressed the importance of a two-state solution, including a Palestinian state encompassing Gaza.

International criticism grows over Israel's potential ground offensive in Rafah, aimed at Hamas, feared to escalate civilian casualties and worsen the humanitarian crisis.

Israel defends its actions as necessary to combat Hamas following an attack on October 7 that killed approximately 1,160 Israelis, mostly civilians. Israel is also striving to retrieve around 250 hostages taken by Hamas, with an estimated 130 still in Gaza, including 33 presumed deceased. The ongoing conflict has resulted in at least 32,000 deaths in Gaza, per the Hamas-led health ministry.