French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Monday that 40 French nationals have been killed in Israel since the start of the conflict with Hamas. Another eight are considered missing, including hostages taken by the Palestinian group. She said the French government's priority is the liberation of hostages, adding that France is in contact with Israel and regional partners to secure their release.
Borne insisted that "we cannot confuse the Palestinian people with a terrorist group such as Hamas" and that Israel's response must be in accordance with international law. "France is calling for humanitarian pauses, hoping that a political solution can follow," she told France Inter, noting that the solution should include Israel's security as well as Palestine's statehood.
