French President Emmanuel Macron attends a video-conference with the families of French hostages by the Hamas militants who had entered Israel from the Gaza Strip, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 20, 2023. His advisers said that beyond showing solidarity with Israel, Macron wanted to make "proposals that are as operational as possible" to prevent an escalation, free hostages, guarantee Israel's security and work towards a two-state solution. The French leader upped the ante before the trip, telling reporters he would only travel to the region if he thought the visit would be "useful". Macron will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and centrist leaders Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid for the opposition. Macron has vowed on national television that France would "not abandon any of its children" in Gaza.

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Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Benoit Tessier, Netanyahu, Abbas, PARIS, Macron, Israel doesn't, Benjamin Netanyahu, Isaac Herzog, Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, Karim Emile Bitar, Mahmoud Abbas, Macron's, Michel Rose, John Irish, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Israeli, Arab French Gaullist, IRIS, Reuters, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Paris, France, French, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Arab French, Beirut