Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that Israel needs to review the international perception of its attack on Hamas, and the method of achieving its goals, explaining that his message to Israel is the need to respect international law and deal seriously with civilians.

The Italian minister added to the Financial Times that "there are a very large number of extremists in Israel, especially in the West Bank."

He stressed that time must be given to work on reaching a long-term political solution to the decades-long conflict.

Regarding the future of Gaza after the war, the Italian minister proposed that the United Nations, along with peacekeeping forces, take over the administration of the Gaza Strip for years after the war.

Tajani said a few days ago that Gaza should be part of the future Palestinian state, indicating that he believes that the only legitimate entity that will rule it is the Palestinian National Authority.

He added, "It is possible that there will be a United Nations presence in a transitional phase, just as is the case on the border between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, and similar to the presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

He expressed his country's readiness to do what it is responsible for if asked, indicating that Italy can play a role for the two-state solution thanks to its credibility in the Middle East, according to him.

Tajani stressed that Italy is at the forefront of countries helping the civilian population in Gaza, expressing their readiness to treat injured Palestinian children in Italy.

Source: Al Jazeera + Anatolia