French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is “charting a path toward peace”.

In a post on X, the French president said he has received a “letter of hope, courage, clarity” from Abbas, who said “we reject violence and terrorism and denounce all attacks on civilians, whether Palestinians or Israelis”.

Abbas also condemned the October 2023 attack and called for the release of hostages, demilitarisation of Hamas, end of Israel’s “bloodshed” and occupation of Gaza, and a lasting peace for all in the region.

Macron said Abbas expresses the Palestinian people’s commitment to the two-state solution. He said the “concrete and unprecedented commitments demonstrate a real desire to move forward”.

“Two peoples, two states. Security and peace.”