ROME: Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Thursday urged an end to what he described as Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. Speaking at a press conference in Rome, Crosetto emphasized the plight of innocent Palestinian civilians, stating that from a military perspective, there is no justification for the continuation of the aggression.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Israel unilaterally ended the Gaza ceasefire agreement and resumed its aggression on Tuesday, March 18. The Israeli forces have carried out a series of intense airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians, including over 100 children. The overall death toll has reached at least 4,402, with 13,489 others wounded, as reported by medical sources. Emergency teams are currently working to recover victims who remain trapped beneath the rubble.
In just the last 24 hours, hospitals in the Gaza Strip have received the bodies of 70 Palestinians, including three retrieved from the rubble, along with 189 casualties. These figures exclude those from the northern part of the Strip, where access is limited. The resumption of hostilities comes amid growing concerns over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, exacerbated by the ongoing siege and restriction on the entry of medical and humanitarian aid.
The military campaign, which began in October 2023, has led to the deaths of at least 54,677 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, and left 125,530 others injured. Additionally, over 10,000 individuals are unaccounted for, believed to be buried under the debris of their homes across the Strip.
The Israeli offensive has also triggered the displacement of nearly two million people from various parts of the Gaza Strip. The majority of these individuals have been forced to seek refuge in the densely populated southern city of Rafah, near the Egyptian border, marking the largest mass exodus in Palestine since the 1948 Nakba.
