France has called for an "immediate and lasting" ceasefire in Gaza

France is calling for an "immediate and lasting" ceasefire in the war in Gaza, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Sunday, visiting Tel Aviv.

She emphasized that Paris is "deeply concerned" about the situation in the Palestinian territory, AFP reported.

"Too many civilians have been killed," the top diplomat said in a speech alongside Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Tel Aviv, while stressing that the victims of the October 7 Hamas attack should not be forgotten.

For her part, her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, said on Sunday that France could play a key role in preventing war in Lebanon as cross-border clashes raise tensions. "France can play a positive and significant role in preventing war in Lebanon," Cohen told a joint Catherine Colonna media briefing. /BGNES