The French President stressed that “any escalatory behavior should be avoided, especially in Lebanon, and that France will continue to deliver these messages to all actors directly or indirectly concerned in the region.”

On Tuesday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel to “avoid any escalatory behavior, especially in Lebanon,” following the assassination of Hamas leader Saleh Al-Arouri, with an Israeli missile strike that targeted an office of the Palestinian movement in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The Elysee Palace said, following a phone call Macron made with the minister in the Israeli “war cabinet,” Benny Gantz, that the French president stressed that “any escalatory behavior should be avoided, especially in Lebanon, and that France will continue to deliver these messages to all actors, particularly concerned.” directly or indirectly in the region.

Al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas's political bureau, was assassinated in an Israeli strike on Tuesday evening that targeted an office of the Palestinian movement in the southern suburb of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.

Following the raid, Hezbollah said that this assassination is a “dangerous attack on Lebanon” and “will never pass without response and punishment.”

In its statement, the French presidency said that Macron repeated to the Israeli minister the call to “work to reach a permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas “with the help of all regional and international partners.”

Macron also reiterated his "very deep concern about the very high number of civilian deaths and the extremely urgent humanitarian situation in Gaza."

At the same time, the French President stressed, according to the Elysee statement, “France’s commitment to Israel’s security.