 "‘Peace is near… ready to send troops’: Italy hails Trump’s Gaza plan as Israel, Hamas okay first phase")
Italy, on Thursday, hailed the signing of the Gaza peace deal between Israel and Hamas, adding that Rome is “ready to consolidate the ceasefire and send troops” under an international peacekeeping force to reunify Palestine.
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani said, “Great news is coming from the Middle East: peace is near. Italy, which has always supported the U.S. plan, is ready to do its part to consolidate the ceasefire, to deliver new humanitarian aid, and to participate in the reconstruction of Gaza. Also ready to send troops in case of the creation of an international peacekeeping force to reunify Palestine.”
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the “first phase” of his Gaza peace plan, which would entail a ceasefire in the Gaza war and an exchange of captives.
Meloni’s support for Trump’s plan
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has always endorsed Trump’s Gaza peace plan. She has time and again tried to block aid ships travelling from Italy to Gaza, saying that the efforts to deliver aid by activists on board might hamper with US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war.
Meloni said that the US proposal sparked “hope” of ending the Israel-Hamas war, adding it was “a fragile balance, which many would be happy to destroy”.
“I fear that the flotilla’s attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade could serve as a pretext to do so,” she said. According to AFP, Israel has asked the flotilla to deliver the humanitarian aid to an Israeli port instead.
Israel-Hamas peace deal
Israeli hostages may be released as early as Saturday under a US plan to end the war in Gaza, and the country’s military will complete the first part of a partial withdrawal from the enclave within 24 hours of the deal being signed, a source told Reuters.
Israelis and Palestinians rejoiced after Trump announced that a ceasefire and hostage deal was reached under the first phase of his plan to end a war in Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 people and reshaped the Middle East.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt a war that had evolved into a regional conflict, drawing in countries such as Iran, Yemen and Lebanon.
With inputs from agencies
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 "Trump 'likely' to address Knesset as Israel, Hamas agree to 'first phase' of his Gaza peace plan")
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 "How Trump’s unlikely tactics brought the Gaza peace deal to life")
 "PM Modi, UK's Starmer to hold talks in Mumbai today: Trade and business in focus")
