French foreign minister to urge ceasefire in Gaza during Middle East visit

The French foreign minister said Tuesday he will call for a ceasefire in Gaza during his upcoming visit to the Middle East.

"I will meet with several of my counterparts in Arab countries committed to peace in Gaza. I will remind them that the urgent priority is obviously a ceasefire," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the public broadcaster Franceinfo.

Barrot said he will also urge the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli blockade passed the 50-day mark on Monday.

"We must move as quickly as possible toward a political solution: two states living side by side in peace and security," he said.

He added that the French government wants to recognize a Palestinian state at the "most useful moment possible."

"That means it should help create the conditions for such a state to actually come into being," he said.

Barrot's first stop is Iraq, and he noted France's commitment to continue the fight against the Daesh (ISIS) terror group and to help Iraq become a "pillar of stability" in the region.

Barrot is expected to visit Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia between April 23 and 25.