Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in response to the words of French President Emmanuel Macron, said that responsibility for causing damage to civilians lies with Palestinian movement Hamas, and not with Israel.

Macron earlier said Israel's strikes on the Gaza Strip have no legitimacy and must be stopped.

“Responsibility for any harm caused to civilians lies with Hamas... and not with Israel,” the prime minister’s office quoted Netanyahu as saying on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The prime minister said Israel is doing everything possible to avoid harming civilians and calling on them to leave fighting areas, while Hamas is trying to prevent them from moving to safe areas and is using them as human shields.

On October 7, Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities.

Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel.

On October 27, Israel launched a large-scale ground incursion inside Gaza with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas and rescuing the hostages.

The escalation of the conflict has resulted in the deaths of around 1,400 people in Israel and over 10,500 in the Gaza Strip, according to the latest official data reported by both sides.

(With UNI inputs)