President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he would do everything to bring back French citizens held by Hamas in Gaza, but warned that the only way to end the bloodshed would be through guaranteeing Israel's security and creating a state for Palestinians.
France has Europe's largest Jewish community with thousands of dual nationals living in Israel and the largest Muslim population in Western Europe.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the past has contributed to growing tensions between the two communities and the French leader opted to address the nation as he looks to prevent any escalation at home.
Macron said 13 French citizens had been killed by Palestinian terrorist Islamists from Hamas in its Oct. 7 attacks in Israel and that a further 17, including children, were unaccounted for with some likely being held in the besieged Gaza enclave bordering the Mediterranean.
"France is doing everything alongside Israeli authorities and our partners to bring them home safely because France never abandons its children," he said.