The leader of Italy‘s opposition 5-Star Movement called Thursday for imposing a comprehensive arms embargo against Israel over its attacks on Gaza.
“More than 100 dead in 24 hours. More than 300 children killed in two weeks,” Giuseppe Conte wrote on X, recalling that Israeli attacks continue to target health care facilities and homes.
He said that Italy and Europe remain silent in the face of the brutality carried out by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Criticizing the European Parliament’s stance, Conte said it only expresses concern about this, which “makes no sense.”
“A full arms embargo must be imposed on Israel and severe economic and diplomatic sanctions must be imposed on government officials and their supporters,” said the 60-year-old politician, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2021.
Hundreds of people staged a rally in Milan in northern Italy to protest Israel’s killing of Palestinian journalists in Gaza.
More than 50,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in Israel’s onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.