Israel is upset with French President Emmanuel Macron after he asked European countries to be tougher on Israel because of the humanitarian problems in Gaza.

Israel’s foreign ministry responded strongly to Macron’s comments. They said there is no humanitarian blockade in Gaza and called that claim completely false. They also said Israel is working to get aid into Gaza.

The ministry went further and said Macron is siding with Hamas, the group that attacked Israel in 2023. Instead of putting pressure on the group, they claimed Macron wants to reward them by supporting the creation of a Palestinian state. They made a sarcastic remark that October 7 — the day of the Hamas attack — could become the new state’s national day.

Recently, Israel has eased some restrictions that were limiting the entry of aid into Gaza for more than two months. But even with that change, the people in Gaza are still facing serious shortages of food and medicine.

While speaking at a security meeting in Singapore, Macron said Europe should get tougher on Israel if it does not improve the situation in Gaza. He also said that sanctions might be an option.

Macron added that recognizing a Palestinian state, under certain conditions, is both the right thing to do and something that is needed for peace and political stability.

France is now working with Saudi Arabia at the United Nations in New York. Together, they are trying to bring back talks about creating two states — one for Israel and one for Palestine. However, Israel’s current government is strongly against this plan.

Israel also pointed out that Hamas praised Macron’s comments. According to Israel, this shows that Hamas agrees with what Macron said and that it helps their cause.