France’s President Emmanuel Macron has said on a solidarity visit to Israel that releasing hostages held by Hamas must be the “first objective” of the war in Gaza, AFP reports.

“The first objective we should have today is the release of all hostages, without any distinction, because this is an awful crime to play with the lives of children, adults, old people, civilians and soldiers,” Macron said after meeting Israel’s President Isaac Herzog.

Macron added that the campaign must be fought without “enlarging this conflict”.