There needs to be a de-escalation in
the Israel-Gaza conflict with an end to the firing of rockets by
militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, Foreign Minister and Deputy
Premier Antonio Tajani said on Monday.
"Hamas cannot be allowed to do what it wants," said Tajani on
arriving at a two-day meeting of EU foreign ministers in
Luxembourg.
The foreign minister also reiterated that Israel "has the right
to defend itself" but that this must be "in a proportionate way,
without indiscriminately hitting the civilian population in
Gaza".
Tajani said the risk of the conflict spreading beyond Israel and
Gaza "is there" and that efforts are underway to ensure that
"this does not become a reality".
"All of us, the US and the EU, are working on the diplomatic
path and Italy has taken a leading role," he added.
"The goal is to avoid the Middle East burning," said Tajani.
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