French president Emmanuel Macron speaks to the families of hostages
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has spoken by video link-up to families of the French hostages held byHamas.
He said he, along with every service of the French state, was fully mobilised to obtain their liberation. The Elysée said Macron had told the families of the hostages: “Everything will be done for them to come back safe and sound to France.”
J'ai pu échanger à l’instant avec des familles d’otages français retenus par le Hamas.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 20, 2023
Je le dis ici à tous : la France n'abandonne pas les siens. Nous faisons tout notre possible pour obtenir la libération et le retour de nos compatriotes.
La Nation se tient à leurs côtés.
More than 4,000 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October,according to the latest update from the Palestinian health ministry. The ministry said that 4,137 people have lost their lives, while more than 13,000 people have been injured.
Russia advises its citizens to avoid Israel and adjacent territories
Russia is urging its citizens to refrain from travelling to Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon or Jordan, the foreign ministry said on its website on Friday.
It added in a statement:
We continue to work closely with the Egyptian and Israeli authorities to ensure the exit from the Gaza Strip of Russian citizens who have asked for assistance in evacuating.
Israel doesn’t plan to control ‘life in Gaza’ after destroying Hamas, says defence minister
Israel’s defence minister has said that after the country destroys the Hamasmilitant group, the military does not plan to control “life in the Gaza Strip”.
Yoav Gallant’s comments to lawmakers were the first time an Israeli leader discussed its long-term plans for Gaza.
Gallant said Israel expected there to be three phases to its war with Hamas. He said the first would be an attack on the group in Gaza with airstrikes and ground operations, then it would defeat pockets of resistance and finally it would cease its “responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip”. (Via AP)
Israel will also “establish a new security regime”, he said.
“October 7 is the day that started the process of destroying Hamas,” Gallant said, according to a report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. He added that the war will be divided into three phases, the first of which is “a military campaign by fire and later by tactical manoeuvre, the purpose of which will be to assassinate operatives and damage infrastructure” to destroy Hamas.
After that, Gallant said, the fighting will continue “at a lower intensity.” The final stage of the campaign will include “the creation of a new security regime in the Gaza Strip, the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Strip and the creation of a new security reality for the citizens of Israel,” the defense minister said.
