Italian Prime Minister: We do not support Israel's decision to occupy Gaza; its response is inappropriate

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that Italy cannot support Israel's decision to occupy Gaza, adding during an election rally in Ancona to support her party's candidate, Francesco Acquaroli, in the regional elections for governor of Marche: "Israel's response is completely disproportionate."

Meloni added, "This situation will certainly worsen with the occupation of Gaza, a decision that Italy cannot support," adding, "We strive to build peace through action, not just words," as reported by the Italian news agency ANSA.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had previously clarified his country's opposition to the Israeli military operation, stating that it "endangers civilians and cannot be justified as self-defense."

Tajani said, "We need to accelerate efforts to achieve a ceasefire, with the unconditional release of the hostages and a halt to the attacks. We have already witnessed horrific massacres in Gaza in recent months, and we understand that this will not be easy," referring to Italy's concern about the continued bloodshed.