ROME, Oct 24 Italian Foreign Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani reported the deaths of two of the three missing Italians with dual citizenship in Israel, the body of the third was discovered a few days ago.
On the social network, X Tajani expressed condolences for the death of the Italian-Israelis. He informed about the discovery of the body of a woman who disappeared along with her husband after an attack on a kibbutz in the south of the country. The death of a 65-year-old man was confirmed by the Italian Foreign Ministry on October 17. Two hours later, on the same social network, Tajani announced the death of a 29-year-old man whose parents he met during a visit to Tel Aviv.
Previously, Tajani reported that 19 Italian citizens remain in the Gaza Strip. Several more families live in northern Israel, where blows are being exchanged with Lebanon.
On the morning of October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. In addition, after massive rocket attacks, the organization’s fighters penetrated into the border areas in southern Israel. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within days of the attack, the Israeli military took control of all settlements near the Gaza border and began conducting air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was suspended.
The number of victims in the Gaza Strip exceeded 5 thousand people, over 15 thousand were injured. In Israel, according to local authorities, more than 1.3 thousand people died. The Russian Embassy reported that during the escalation of the conflict, 20 Russians were killed, two were taken hostage, and seven were listed as missing. According to various sources, about 150 Israelis may be held captive by Hamas. The movement itself stated that there are about 200-250 prisoners in the Gaza Strip.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the settlement of the Middle East crisis is possible only on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, related to the territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created. Israel, while declaring agreement with the two-state principle, did not completely liberate the Palestinian territories.