France's Macron says ‘shame on all of us’ for Gaza inaction

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the situation in Gaza was a "spectacle that shames us all" as he gave his last speech to the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday. "What is our credibility worth if we remain inactive on Gaza? Some claim that peace has been achieved, but this has not opened up humanitarian deliveries. It is a spectacle that shames us all," he said. He began his remarks by urging that the world choose the UN over a "law of the jungle", asking: “Do we want to live under this state of affairs, with a return to the law of the jungle, or do we want to live in a civilised international society?” “Our duty, today more than ever, is to hold firm here at the UN, in order to make decisions … so that people can choose their fate freely,” he continued. The French President also pledged to "continue lending our support to the International Court of Justice and supporting the central role it plays," adding that the “new order of impunity which some are trying to erect” is not acceptable. Macron also said that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz "should not be used as blackmail", calling for the waterway to be reopened. France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City, on 22 September 2026 (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images/AFP)