Italy reactivates UNRWA funding. The foreign minister of Italy announced it. Antonio Tajani, after his meeting, earlier in the morning in Rome, with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohamed Mustafa, who then had talks with Prime Minister Georgia Meloni. “I announced to Mustafa that our government has approved new funding in favor of the Palestinian citizens, amounting to thirty-five million euros, an amount which is added to what we have already done, to deal with the crisis. Of this amount, five million is earmarked for Unrwa,” said Tajani.

“Under strict conditions”

The Italian minister added that “following the results of the work of the autonomous commission led by the French former foreign minister Catherine Colonna, and the measures to protect the principle of neutrality, Italy has decided to resume financing specific projects in favor of Palestinian refugees.” He made it clear, however, that this “will only be done after strict controls, which will guarantee that not a single centimeter will risk ending up in support of terrorism.” At the same time, thirty million euros will be allocated to the “Food for Gaza” initiative. According to a written statement from the Italian Prime Minister’s office, Giorgia Meloni told her Palestinian interlocutor that Italy supports efforts for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the improvement of humanitarian aid to the people. of Gaza. It should be noted that Italy was one of the countries that blocked aid to UNRWA after Israel accused some of its staff of participating in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

At the same time G7 finance ministers in the Italian city of Stresa were to call on Israel not to cut off “vital financial transactions” in the occupied Palestinian territories, after indications it could isolate Palestinian banks. “We call on Israel to take the necessary steps to ensure that services between Israeli and Palestinian banks remain in place so that vital financial transactions, critical trade and service delivery can continue,” said a draft statement, which learned the French News Agency AFP. This year, Italy holds the presidency of the Group of 7 of the world’s major industrialized countries.