Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that the current invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which started two years ago, is the reason why Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Inevitable Consequence
When asked by the Italian daily Il Giornale whether she thought global tensions might spark a third world war, Meloni said that the October 7 massacre would not have happened if Russia had not invaded Ukraine.
The attack on Israel last year resulted in 1,200 deaths and 250 abductions by militants from Hamas. A larger confrontation in the Gaza Strip ensued as a consequence of this, with a death toll of over 30,000 people as of this month.
"It was inevitable that such a serious violation of the international system based on law, moreover at the hands of a permanent member of the UN Security Council, would have cascading consequences on other areas and quadrants of the world, from the Middle East to the Balkans, up to Africa," Meloni stated. "This is the game we are playing, and we must be aware. If international legality is not re-established in Ukraine, the outbreaks of conflict will continue to multiply."
Conflict De-Escalation
The possibility of a truce and the release of the other 134 captives, who were abducted by terrorists from Hamas and brought to the Gaza Strip on October 7, were also topics Meloni covered, according to The Jerusalem Post.
"Without a prolonged ceasefire and a solution for the hostages, it is not possible to relaunch the political perspective of two peoples and two states," Meloni said. The United States, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar allegedly met in Paris on Saturday, February 24, and came up with a revised plan to free the 134 hostages being held in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said that Israel's tough response to the October 7 assault was to blame for the country's growing isolation in Western public opinion. She urged everyone involved in de-escalation efforts to prioritize both Israel's and Palestine's interests and seek a swift resolution to the issue.
Meloni went on to say that Italy had intervened to defuse tensions along the northern border between Israel and Lebanon, especially in relation to Hezbollah's positions.
