Italy Says Violence Against Civilians in Gaza ‘No Longer Justifiable’ 

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike where displaced people were staying in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike where displaced people were staying in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP)
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Italy Says Violence Against Civilians in Gaza ‘No Longer Justifiable’ 

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike where displaced people were staying in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike where displaced people were staying in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP)

Italy said on Monday Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians in Gaza were no longer justifiable in one of the strongest criticisms Rome has made so far against Israel's campaign.

"There is an increasingly difficult situation, in which the Palestinian people are being squeezed without regard for the rights of innocent men, women and children who have nothing to do with Hamas and this can no longer be justified," Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told SkyTG24 TV.

"We are watching the situation with despair."

Latest Israeli air strikes in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah killed at least 35 Palestinians and wounded dozens.

Israel said the attack was aimed at a Hamas compound, though its top military prosecutor called it "very grave" and said the army regretted any harm to non-combatants.

Crosetto said Italy agreed in principle with the Israeli response to the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas gunmen on southern Israeli communities, but he added that a difference had to be made between the group and the Palestinian people.

On Saturday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Rome, reiterating their support for a ceasefire and urging Hamas to release Israeli hostages.

Italy has repeatedly said that Israel had a right to defend itself from Hamas. Last week, Rome said an International Criminal Court prosecutor's decision to seek an arrest warrant for Israeli leaders was "unacceptable".



G7 Urges Iran to Resume Diplomacy over Nuclear Program

FILE PHOTO: Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly speaks during the G7 foreign ministers meeting in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada March 13, 2025. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly speaks during the G7 foreign ministers meeting in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada March 13, 2025. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
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G7 Urges Iran to Resume Diplomacy over Nuclear Program

FILE PHOTO: Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly speaks during the G7 foreign ministers meeting in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada March 13, 2025. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly speaks during the G7 foreign ministers meeting in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada March 13, 2025. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Foreign ministers of leading Western democracies warned on Thursday of the threat from Iran's growing use of arbitrary detention and foreign assassination attempts as a tool of coercion, a final draft statement seen by Reuters showed.

The G7 nations, comprising Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, said in a statement that Tehran was a principle source of instability in the Middle East and urged it to resume diplomacy over its nuclear program.

Representatives of China, Russia and Iran called Friday for an end to US sanctions on Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program and a restart to multinational talks on the issue.

The three countries' meeting was the latest attempt to broach the matter and come after US President Donald Trump wrote to Iran’s supreme leader in an attempt to jumpstart talks.

The letter, which hasn’t been published, was offered as Trump levied new sanctions on Iran as part of his “maximum pressure” campaign that holds out the possibility of military action while emphasizing he still believed a new deal could be reached.