Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday sharply criticized Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, calling the strikes “beyond the principle of proportionality” and warning that the mounting civilian toll threatens hopes for a two-state solution, reported by Arab News.
Speaking at a political conference in Rimini, Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s recognition of Israel’s right to defend itself following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault that killed roughly 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. But she stressed that the Israeli response had gone too far. “We cannot remain silent in the face of a reaction that has produced too many innocent victims,” she said.
Meloni cited Monday’s deadly strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which killed at least 20 people, including five journalists—one of them a freelance photographer working with the Associated Press. She called the deaths “an unacceptable attack on freedom of the press and on those who risk their lives to recount the drama of war.”
The Italian leader urged Israel to halt military operations in Gaza, allow humanitarian aid to flow, and end settlement expansion in the West Bank. At the same time, she pressed the international community to increase pressure on Hamas to free the roughly 50 remaining hostages, about 20 of whom are believed alive.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. The UN warns famine has already gripped parts of Gaza and could spread without a ceasefire and expanded aid access.
Meloni underscored Italy’s humanitarian role, noting that more than 180 children and nearly 1,000 Palestinians overall have been evacuated to Italy for medical treatment since the conflict began.
