Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (Reuters)
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that Israel needs to review the international perception of its attack on Hamas, and the method of achieving its goals, explaining that his message to Israel is the need to respect international law and the seriousness of dealing with civilians.
The Italian minister told the Financial Times that "there are a very large number of extremists in Israel, especially in the West Bank."
Time must be given to work towards a long-term political solution to the decades-old conflict, he said.
On the post-war future of Gaza, the Italian minister suggested that the United Nations, together with peacekeeping forces, administer the Gaza Strip for years after the war.
Tajani had said a few days ago that Gaza should be part of a future Palestinian state, noting that he believes that the only legitimate entity that will govern it is the Palestinian National Authority.
"It is possible that there could be a UN presence in transition, just as there is a border between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, similar to the presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
He expressed his country's readiness to do what falls on its shoulders if asked, noting that Italy can play a role for the two-state solution thanks to its credibility in the Middle East, he said.
Tajani stressed that Italy is at the forefront of countries assisting the civilian population in Gaza, expressing their readiness to treat injured Palestinian children in Italy.
The State of Qatar announced that an agreement had been reached on a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip that will last for 4 days, which can be extended, provided that the timing of its start will be announced within 24 hours of its announcement.
The agreement includes the exchange of 50 civilian women prisoners and children in the Gaza Strip in the first phase, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons, and the truce will allow the entry of a larger number of humanitarian convoys and relief aid, including fuel for humanitarian needs.
Source : Al Jazeera + Anatolia