Scientists Hopfield and Hinton win 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics
Harris' lead over Trump narrows to 46% vs 43%, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
China is oversupplying lithium to eliminate rivals, US official says
Who is Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy chief?
Hezbollah deputy chief backs Lebanon ceasefire efforts, omits mention of Gaza deal
Hezbollah leader says more Israelis will be displaced as the militants extend their rocket fire
Stocks stall, Hang Seng decimated, oil ebbs
In the Market: Fed may struggle to rid backstops of stigma amid new push
Woman accusing Vince McMahon of sexual abuse asks WWE to waive confidentiality agreements
China's Golden Week travel surges but spending lags pre-pandemic numbers
Judge and Rodón unable to deliver as Yankees drop Game 2 to Royals in ALDS
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron spoke on Tuesday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to discuss the conflict between Israel and Hamas, said Macron's office.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
France is a United Nations Security Council permanent member and the country has both large Jewish and Muslim populations. Also, hostages holding French citizenship were killed in the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 last year.
Qatar has also played an increasingly important role as a mediator - in January, Qatar and France brokered a deal with Israel and Hamas to deliver urgent medication to Israeli hostages.
KEY QUOTES
"The President condemned recent Israeli air strikes that have targeted UN schools as well as displaced citizens in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp which have left a large number of civilian victims," Macron's office said in a statement.
"He also reaffirmed France's insistence that Hamas immediately release the hostages," it added.
CONTEXT
The conflict risks escalating and worsening on the border with Lebanon, where France wields some influence as Lebanon's former colonial power. Israel has carried out near-daily air strikes in Syria and Lebanon since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israeli border communities and its ensuing military offensive in Gaza.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Sandra Maler)
