"I reiterated to the Israeli minister Israel Katz the Italian position of a ceasefire and to suspend the decision to attack Rafah but at the same time I reiterated to him that Italy requests the immediate release of the Israeli hostages who are in the hands of Hamas, something I also reiterated to the families of the hostages I met with particular attention to women." Thus Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani after meeting his Israeli counterpart Katz. "We are absolutely not in favor of the attack on Rafah but at the same time we are for the immediate release of the hostages without conditions."
"Israel reiterates that if there is the delivery and release of the hostages there is also a ceasefire. It is the position they have and certainly the release of the hostages can no longer be ignored." In any case, "the reaction must always be proportionate so I hope that we can reach a ceasefire and avoid an attack on Rafah but at the same time I hope that there can be the release of the hostages. The release of the kidnapped at the same time as the decision not to attack Rafah is a solution that can represent an important step towards peace." Thus Tajani after the meeting with his counterpart Katz. "For us the problems of civilians are the most important, we work for peace but now we worry about the Palestinian civilian population and the Israeli hostages in the hands of terrorists. For this reason I am in a very complicated and difficult situation but I am satisfied because at least the project Italian Food For Gaza has taken an important step forward because with the support of the Israeli government we will be able to more easily get food goods to the civilian population at a time when we are suffering from famine", added Tajani.
“I was happy to meet the Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Rome. I asked him to act and support the State of Israel to ensure that no decision on the ceasefire is taken without the condition of the immediate release of all hostages Together with the families of the abductees who accompanied me, I told them that the main objectives before our eyes are the unconditional release of all 133 abductees and the dismantling of the terrorist organization Hamas." Israeli minister Israel Katz wrote this on X, posting a photo of the meeting with Antonio Tajani.
"I thank the Pope for having responded to the request to meet the families of the kidnapped to strengthen them and support the return of the kidnapped to their home. The Pope's support has a great moral and practical weight, and I am convinced it will contribute to the return home of the kidnapped." This was stated in a note by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who is visiting Rome today, after the Vatican announced that Pope Francis will meet tomorrow with the families of five hostages accompanying the head of Israeli diplomacy on his trip to Italy.
Tomorrow Katz will meet the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher, with whom "he will discuss the importance of increasing pressure to free all 133 kidnapped prisoners of Hamas", writes the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The meeting in the Vatican "will be held after today's meeting with the Italian Foreign Minister and the Jewish community and the meetings scheduled for tomorrow with the Ministers of Defense and the Interior. The aim of the visit is to raise awareness on the issue of release of the hostages and guarantee Italy's continued support for Israel's war objectives and condition any ceasefire on the release of the hostages," Katz said in the statement.
Also taking part in the meeting at the Farnesina between Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz were the deputy director of the FAO Beth Bechdol, the deputy executive director of the World Food Program Carl Skau, the head of the Civil Protection Department Fabrizio Curcio and the president of the Italian Red Cross Rosario Velastro, also representing the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
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