ITALY-ISRAEL – Herzog and Meloni discuss hostages, aid to Gaza

Rome’s closeness with Jerusalem, a firm condemnation of Hamas terrorism, and Italy’s commitment to regional de-escalation. These are the topics addressed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. They also discussed the Iranian threat and the commitment to bring home the 111 hostages still held in Gaza, Herzog’s office reported. “I informed the Prime Minister about the five soldiers and civilians who were killed and abducted in Gaza on October 7, whose bodies were recovered from the heart of Khan Yunis,” Herzog said, referring to Ravid Katz, Oren Goldin, Maya Goren, Tomer Yaakov Ahimas, and Kiril Brodski. Their remains were retrieved from a tunnel by security forces.
During the meeting, Meloni emphasized “the importance of reaching a ceasefire as soon as possible and the release of the hostages, while working towards a two-state solution.” She also expressed “strong concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza” and reiterated Italy’s commitment “to support the U.S. mediation and provide assistance to the Palestinian population.”
Specifically, the PM mentioned “Food for Gaza,” a humanitarian initiative launched by the Italian Foreign Ministry last March in collaboration with several international organizations, to deliver food aid to the Palestinian enclave. It includes a project announced alongside Herzog’s meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and carried out with the World Food Programme (WFP). The goal is “to provide approximately 4,000 tons of foodstuffs (flour, yeast, salt, and sugar) to the most vulnerable families and to distribute bread and other food prepared by Gaza’s network of bakers supported by WFP,” the Foreign Ministry explained.