Herzog: Israel ready for Gaza ceasefire

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had a telephone conversation this Saturday with the Israeli President who assured that “Israel is ready to accept the proposals of the American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators for a ceasefire with Hamas”.

The head of Italian diplomacy discussed with Israeli President Isaac Herzog the issue of the conflict between Israel and Iran and the consequences of this phase for the Israeli and Palestinian populations, in addition to offering his condolences for the civilian casualties caused in these hours.

Tajani also spoke with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Muhammad Mustafa, to whom he “confirmed the solidarity and support of the Italian Government to the PNA, especially in the multilateral forums of the United Nations and the European Union”, according to a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mustafa thanked Italy “for the latest medical evacuations and for the assistance provided , first and foremost, to Palestinian children.” With Wednesday’s flights, 150 Palestinian children received assistance and 650 Palestinian family members and citizens were welcomed in Italy.

Overnight and into Saturday, at least 16 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, according to local health authorities.

The 20-month war with Hamas continues, even as Israel has opened a new front with heavy strikes against Iran, which have prompted retaliatory drone and missile strikes.

Another 11 Palestinians were killed overnight near food distribution points run by an Israeli- and US-backed humanitarian group, the latest of near-daily shootings near the sites since they opened last month.

Palestinian witnesses say Israeli forces fired into crowds, while the military says it only fired warning shots at people it describes as suspects who approached its forces.

The military did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press about the latest shootings. The locations are located in military zones that are not accessible to independent media.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said they were closed on Saturday, but witnesses said thousands of people had gathered near the sites anyway, desperate for food as Israel's blockade and military campaign have pushed the territory to the brink of famine.