Italy has joined 24 other countries in signing a joint statement demanding an immediate end to Israel’s war in Gaza. They cited the escalating humanitarian crisis and the urgent need for a ceasefire.
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani signed the declaration on Italy’s behalf. “The war in Gaza must end now,” the statement read. “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.”
The document strongly criticised Israel’s current model for delivering aid, calling it dangerous and destabilising. “We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food,” the statement said. “It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.”
The signatories accused Israel of denying essential humanitarian assistance and called on the Israeli government to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law.
Statement requests hostage release and criticises E1 settlement plan
The statement also addressed the hostages still held by Hamas since the October 7, 2023, attack. It called for their immediate and unconditional release and said that a negotiated ceasefire is the best way to secure their return and end the suffering of their families.
Among the signatories were the foreign ministers of France, Spain, the UK, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Japan, and other European nations. The group expressed strong opposition to forced displacement proposals and settlement expansion, particularly Israel’s E1 settlement plan, which they said would effectively split a future Palestinian state and violate international law.
The statement condemned rising settler violence and expanding settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and called for these actions to stop.
It concluded with a renewed call for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire, offering full support for US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediation efforts. “Further bloodshed serves no purpose,” the ministers said, signalling readiness to take further steps to push for peace and stability in the region.
Only last week, the US sanctioned Francesca Albanese for speaking out against Israel’s war in Gaza.
