AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Italian President Sergio Mattarella has urged action to prevent "the expansion of the Israeli military operation in the city of Rafah" in southern Gaza.
Mattarella said in a speech during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that he reiterates the call and appeal of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to "avoid the planned military operation in Rafah, especially in light of the expected catastrophic consequences for Palestinian civilians there."
He emphasized the need to halt the massacres and atrocities in Gaza and achieve lasting peace, taking into account the common goal of full and mutual recognition of two states, Palestinian and Israeli.
The Italian leader stressed that international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which protects civilian populations even in the most severe conflicts, must not be violated, and called for a focus on the pivotal role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the continuation of funding for its activities and programs.
"We are currently required to respond to the moral obligation and alleviate the immense suffering in the Gaza Strip and not allow further deterioration of the situation," he said.
The Italian President affirmed that peace is fair and enduring when based on the noble principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, which should be a source of inspiration for confronting the severe challenges facing the Middle East.
He pointed out that the prevailing tension in the region serves as a call for the international community to enhance its efforts to de-escalate, a task that his country, as it assumes the presidency of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, is focusing on.
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