Italy underlines need for ‘timely entry’ of humanitarian aid to Gaza

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Italy on Monday underlined the need for the “timely entry” of the humanitarian aid to Gaza, as the country's foreign minister spoke to his Israeli counterpart.

“Today I had a new telephone conversation with (Israeli Foreign Minister) Gideon Saar to reiterate the need to guarantee the timely entry of humanitarian aid for the population of Gaza,” Antonio Tajani said on X.

Reiterating Rome’s appeal to reach an immediate ceasefire along the lines Italy and the US are working on, and to free Israeli captives, Tajani urged Hamas to do its part by releasing them.

“The Italian Government wants to provide new aid with the "Food for Gaza" program and continue its humanitarian support actions for the Palestinian civilian population,” Tajani noted.

Israel has kept all crossings into Gaza closed to food, medical, and humanitarian aid since March 2, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Sunday that Tel Aviv will permit the entry of “a basic quantity of food” for Gaza’s population “to prevent the emergence of a hunger crisis.”

He said a famine “could jeopardize the continuation of Operation Gideon's Chariot,” referring to a new phase of Israel’s ground offensive in northern and southern Gaza.

The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.