Premier Giorgia Meloni has appealed for "a sustainable ceasefire" in the war in Gaza and for the freeing of hostages still being held by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Meloni's office said in a statement Monday after her talks with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
Meloni and Netanyhu's phone talks covering the nine-month old war on the blockaded Palestinian coastal enclave after the deadly Hamas 7 October cross-border attack and the situation in the Middle East region, according to the statement.
"While confirming the State of Israel's right to self-defence, Meloni called for a sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages in the hands of Hamas as soon as possible, in line with the (10 June) UN Security Council Resolution 2735 and United States mediation efforts," the statement said.
During their phone talks, Meloni and Netanyahu agreed assistance must be ramped up to civilians in Gaza who face a deepening humanitarian catastrophe., the statement said.
The two leaders also said tensions must not escalate along the Israel-Lebanon border, "where Italy is at the forefront of stability in the area through its participation in the UNIFIL (peacekeeping) mission", the statement concluded.
