Israel must stop killing babies and women in Gaza, French president Emmanuel Macron has told the BBC.
In an exclusive interview at the Élysée Palace, he said there was "no justification" for the bombing, saying a ceasefire would benefit Israel.
While recognising Israel's right to protect itself, "we do urge them to stop this bombing" in Gaza.
But he also stressed that France "clearly condemns" the "terrorist" actions of Hamas.
France - like Israel, the US, the UK, and other Western nations - considers Hamas a terrorist organisation.
When asked if he wanted other leaders - including in the US and the UK - to join his calls for a ceasefire, he replied: "I hope they will."
Speaking the day after a humanitarian aid conference in Paris about the war in Gaza, Mr Macron said the "clear conclusion" of all governments and agencies present at that summit was "that there is no other solution than first a humanitarian pause, going to a ceasefire, which will allow [us] to protect... all civilians having nothing to do with terrorists".
"De facto - today, civilians are bombed - de facto. These babies, these ladies, these old people are bombed and killed. So there is no reason for that and no legitimacy. So we do urge Israel to stop."
He said it was not his role to judge whether international law had been broken.
In a wide-ranging interview at the end of the first day of an annual Paris Peace Forum, the French president also discussed:
- Fears of violence spilling over from the Middle East into France, urging citizens of all faiths to be "united against antisemitism"
- Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying it was France's "duty" to help Ukraine - but suggesting there may come a time for "fair and good negotiations" with Moscow
- Extremism online, saying Facebook's parent company Meta and Google "just don't deliver" on moderation
- And the dangers of climate change, saying it was pushing people around the world toward "terrorism".