French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas could extend over a decade if the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) aim to completely annihilate the movement.
According to Ria Novosti, he urged the Israeli government to define a clear objective for the conflict.
"Currently, it's imperative for the Israeli authorities to more precisely define their goal. What does the complete destruction of Hamas entail? If that is the objective, then we are looking at a war that could last ten years,"
Macron stated during a press conference at the UN climate conference in Dubai.
He added that annihilating the entire population of the Gaza Strip, including civilians, is not an appropriate response by the IDF to Hamas's aggression.
Israel declared war on Hamas following their incursion into Israeli territory on October 7th. The IDF has expressed its intention to fully dismantle Hamas, which they regard as a terrorist organization.
In late November, the parties agreed to a temporary ceasefire for the purpose of a prisoner exchange. However, both sides later accused each other of failing to adhere to the agreement.
