And described them as looking like a spider web. Her daughter helped translate her account. My mum is telling horrific stories, saying that a swarm of people came through the fence, it was two and a half million shells, and it didnt help feeling a little bit. My mum is saying that she was taking on the back of a motorbike, with her legs on one side, that she was taken through the ploughed fields with the men in front on one side and the man behind, and that while she was being taken, she was beaten with sticks. Until they reached the tunnels. There. There, they walk for a few kilometres on the wet ground. There are Huge Networks of tunnels underneath, it looks like a spiders web. She also talked about how she was treated she also talked about how she was treate ,. , treated when they arrive, they arrived into treated when they arrive, they arrived into a treated when they arrive, they arrived into a large. Treated when they arrive, they arrived into a large. 25 arrived into a large. 25 hostages. After two or three hours, those hostages, five of them, she among them, were taken into a separate room. My mum is saying that they were very friendly towards them, and that they took care of them, and that they took care of them, that they were given a medicine. They were given medicine, and they were treated. One of the man with them had a badly injured are marie from a Motorbike Accident on the way. He was looked after, his wounds, he was given medicine, antibiotics. The people were friendly, they kept the play is very clean. They were very concerned about them. Very clean. They were very concerned about them about them. That was sharone lifshitz, translating about them. That was sharone lifshitz, translating for about them. That was sharone i lifshitz, translating for yocheved lifshitz, translating for yocheved lifshitz, one of two elderly israeli hostages released overnight from gaza. Her husband, sharone lifshitz� s father, oded, remains as one of the hostages still in the gaza strip. In an attempt to contain the conflict, trying to stop it from spreading across the region, Emmanuel Macron visited israel today. Speaking alongside his israeli counterpart isaac herzog, he said the first objective of the war should be to secure the release of all hostages. President macron added that it was israels duty to fight against hamas without enlarging the conflict. Hes also due to visit the palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied west bank today. If im here with my delegation, it is to express our support and solidarity. We share your pain. What happened on the 7th Of October is an awful Terrorist Attack against your people, your nation, it is right. And, it was an immense shock for the whole planet, especially in france. I am here to express our solidarity today. I am here to express our solidarity toda. ,. , i am here to express our solidarity toda. ,. , i am here to express our solidarity toda. ,. ,. , today. That was Emmanuel Macron s eakin. Today. That was Emmanuel Macron speaking earlier today. That was Emmanuel Macron speaking earlier today today. That was Emmanuel Macron speaking earlier today alongside i speaking earlier today alongside israels president , isaac herzog. President macron is currently meeting benjamin netanyahu. This is part of a two day visit to the region. What can he achieve this time . Live now to Francois Joseph schichan he is a Former French diplomat and a consultant at the Strategic Advisory firm flint global. Thank you very much forjoining us today. Of course, we havejust been hearing from one of the elderly israeli hostages who. They were both released overnight, we have been hearing about this particular hostage, yocheved lifshitz, how she was taken into the gaza strip and how she was treated. Emmanuel macron says that releasing all of the hostages has to be a top priority of israel today. Hostages has to be a top priority of israel today israel today. Yes, this is one of the key objectives israel today. Yes, this is one of the key objectives of israel today. Yes, this is one of| the key objectives of Emmanuel Macron� s a visit to the region, alongside showing unequivocal and unambiguous support to israel, and israels right to defend itself. And also, at the same time, trying to avoid, working to avoid working towards avoiding escalating conflict in the region. The humanitarian situation in palestine, and gaza, it is a very delicate exercise. I think that there are 2a french people who have been killed in the attack two weeks ago. And also, around seven people, perhaps, taken hostage. Fruit french israeli dual nationals. Hostage. Fruit french israeli dual nationals. Hostage. Fruit french israeli dual nationals. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. , dual nationals. Dual nationals among the civilian population dual nationals. Dual nationals among the Civilian Population Inside dual nationals. Dual nationals among the Civilian Population Inside gaza, i the Civilian Population Inside gaza, t. We have seen many Gaza CiviliansHolding Foreign passports in the air. They are obviously appealing to their governments to try to help them amongst them france. As you say, Emmanuel Macron is a very delicate Balancing Act here. He wants to stop the conflict spreading in the wider region, but expressing solidarity with israel, but also claim concern about Palestinian Civilians. What we have been hearing as anger amongst palestinians and in the wider middle east at western countries like france accusing no of hypocrisy, accusing them of not caring enough about Palestinian Civilians and in this case, emphasising as well� s right to defining itself. They say, this was said again at the summit in cairo, that the west is hypocritical in its attitude towards ukrainians when russia invaded. The attitude towards ukrainians when russia invaded. Attitude towards ukrainians when russia invaded. The president has been clear about russia invaded. The president has been clear about the russia invaded. The president has| been clear about the humanitarian situation, with the need to protect civilians in the gaza strip. That has been constantly set by the government and the french president. So, there was a time at the start of the crisis where there was strong support and unequivocal support for israel which was necessary given the scale of the attack and the shock is represented in many if not all western and European Countries in particular. And, Ithink Western and European Countries in particular. And, i think that the purpose of the trip of the president to the region is really to deliver that message extremely strongly while taking steps and conveying the message that respecting International Humanitarian law is also a very important, if not decisive element of the crisis to work towards a resolution so much. I think that this is also what the president s trip is about, trying to start with discussion. He is going to meet Mahmoud Abbas. This is going to meet Mahmoud Abbas. This is going to be a long conflict. I think that the president is positioning france as a key person in the region to prepare the ground. This is going to take time and also require coordination among western countries and the eu. As we speak, he is also trying to call in a coherent position for the country going forward. It position for the country going forward. ,. ,. ,. , forward. It is, although it is not auoin forward. It is, although it is not going very forward. It is, although it is not going very well. Forward. It is, although it is not going very well, there forward. It is, although it is not going very well, there is going very well, there is disagreement among ve 27 countries about their exact position here. We did see france release a statement alongside united states, canada, italy, germany, and the uk. There are attempts at trying to Work Together in diplomatic terms. This also hit home france directly, france is home to the biggestjewish community in europe and the biggest Muslim Community in europe. In france is worried about the conflict coming home. France is worried about the conflict coming home france is worried about the conflict coming home. Absolutely, and that also exolains coming home. Absolutely, and that also exolains why coming home. Absolutely, and that also explains why the coming home. Absolutely, and that also explains why the president coming home. Absolutely, and that also explains why the president is l also explains why the president is waiting, has a few days before going into israel, there were some issues that needed to be addressed. We have seen some of the Terror Attacks in france shortly after the attack on israel that really shocked the country, and the president was very much focused on that for a few days. And will continue to be focused on that to protect the security. There is a clear sense that the crisis in the middle east is having a political impact in western countries. That has always been the case, but, you are right, especially in france, there is a specific situation here which means that there are huge ramifications for france socially and politically. We have also seen the crisis using the Left Wing Coalition in france because of the positioning of some political leaders. The conflict is starting also to affect the Political Landscape as a whole. And, it is a balancing exercise i was talking about for israel which also applies to france and the president is aiming at preserving stability in france. , , is aiming at preserving stability in france. ,. , france. Francoisjoseph schichan, Former French france. Francoisjoseph schichan, Former French diplomat, france. Francoisjoseph schichan, Former French diplomat, thank france. Francoisjoseph schichan, | Former French diplomat, thank you Former French diplomat, thank you for your time. We were talking about the International Diplomatic effort to try to spread the conflict spreading into the wider middle east region. Well, in gaza, there were more intense israeli bombardments overnight and sell, say aid agencies, this increasing humanitarian catastrophe among civilians who are there waiting desperately for age. Im a gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf told me what life is like now inside the gaza strip. Less safe because israel asked people to flee south. They said, for your safety, go south. But last night, only about 100 strike in the south and 100 People Killed in the south, including 13 members of one family who are from gaza city who were displaced and they were living in alcantara village. Its about like two or three kilometres here from khan yunis. They were killed all together, as i saw one of the survivors in the morning near the morgue here in khan yunis hospital. Very angry mood. People were screaming, crying, shouting, even allowing journalists to film them or talk to them. Very angry mood here. We were saying no place is safe. And now some some of the people who are here decided to go back to gaza city because about 300 air strikes overnight, like a third of them are in so called safe area. So there is no point of people like staying in a safe area where its hundreds like are targeted people. The local authority here always advise people to. They said in this statement this morning, dont buy the israeli lies. No place is safe. Go back to your houses because no place is a safe house. Talking about also this city is like, you know, its the second largest city in gaza, but original People Living here is about 400,000 people now. Its 1. 2 Million People in this overwhelmed city, the city that the capacity isnt designed to mean to take this number, no space in the schools, no space in the club, no space even in this hospital where we are staying. Tens of tents around me. Hundreds of people are sleeping in the ground. Kids are begging for water, for food, for anything to to survive in this place. So people believe maybe they can find Something Better in gaza city because, you know, a large number of people left and they left behind some water, some fuel are stored. So people are seriously thinking of going back to the north and to gaza city because they told me there is no there is no place safe. So we were talking today to the Chief Executive of Medical Aid For Palestinians who was underlining how much children are suffering in the Current Situation amongst Palestinian Civilians. Its the bombardment. Its also lack of, as you say, water and food. What are you hearing about convoys . Is there another one expected today . Yeah. We should know that half of the population are under 18, so, like, half of gazans are under 18. So whenever there is any strike, always we find here in the hospital kids, some of them like one year, some of them are five years. So kids are everywhere in every in every house. Talking about convoy, we are hearing some news about another 20 trucks are going to be moved from the egyptian side to the palestinian side. As we understand, there is 4000 or more trucks are in the egyptian side. But the egyptians are saying that the israelis are making this mechanism very complicated by taking the trucks into nitzan, Crossing Near Israel to check them. And that is slowing the process of moving the aid here. Yesterday, when they said when they sent the tow trucks, i talked to the un and spokesman and he told me another drop in the ocean. So usually they used to receive 500 trucks and now its only 20 truck when gaza need 30,000 trucks, as the local authority here said. I was speaking to Rushdi Abualouf inside gaza, a gaza referent alongside with his family. The suffering is spreading around the world. Here, particularly in the middle east, they are inflaming passions and tensions leading to that fear that the conflict could spread. To the north of israel, there has been cross border violence for days now between the radio or iranians backed hezbollah and israels army over the border in israel. Has intensified, people have been displaced in lebanon because of tensions on israeli border. Our correspondent hugo bachega, whos in Southern Lebanon, told me more about the situation there that has been the reality for days here along the lebanese israeli border, these Cross Border Attacks between groups here in lebanon, including hezbollah and the israeli army. And this morning, the lebanese caretaker prime minister, najib mikati, visited an army base in Southern Lebanon. It was the first time that he visited the Southern Region that has been the reality for days here along the lebanese israeli and obviously, this visit happens amid tensions here in this area that these attacks could escalate and lebanon could be dragged into the conflict. So obviously, all eyes are on hezbollah, which is this powerful lebanese movement, military, socio political organisation. And as i say, this group is supported by iran. And iran also supports a number of different groups across the region, in syria, in iraq and yemen. So when we talk about escalation of fighting in the region, an escalation could also happen in those countries. And i think its interesting that in the last few days there have been a number of incidents in those countries of missiles being intercepted in yemen potentially targeting israel, us Military Bases or Military Bases being used by us troops being targeted in syria and iraq. And i think yesterday the White House National security adviser said that the Biden Administration was concerned that there could be that these attacks could intensify in the next few days. And i think from all conversations ive been having in the last few days, including with people who are very familiar with hezbollah, they believe that hezbollah� s actions will be determined by what happens in gaza and if the israelis go ahead with this Ground Incursion into gaza. So tensions remain high here along this border with these Cross Border Attacks between militants and the israeli army. But the reality is that tensions are high all across the region. Absolutely. And as you say, irans a very clear backing of hezbollah. Also, iran supports hamas inside gaza as well. So those big concerns of escalation and as real signs of that on the ground, civilians being cleared from the area where you are next to the boundary with israel. And on the ot