(Adnkronos) – Italy’s government is “very worried” by the resumption of Israeli airstrikes on war-shattered Gaza that killed over 400 people on Tuesday, ending truce with the enclave’s ruling Islamist group Hamas that lasted almost two months.
“We are very worried. We want negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire to resume as soon as possible,” foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Rome.
Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered bombings because Hamas – which still holds 59 of some 250 hostages Israel says the group seized in its 7 October 2023 attack – had rejected proposals to secure a ceasefire extension.
Egypt and Qatar, who are mediators in the ceasefire deal along with the US, deplored the Israeli airstrikes.
The European Union said in a statement it condemned the breakdown of the ceasefire, which had offered respite from the war for Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
