Situation in Gaza Increasingly Intolerable, Says Mattarella

Rome: President Sergio Mattarella reiterated on Wednesday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is unacceptable and repeated his call for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. “It is obvious to say that the situation in Gaza is becoming, day by day, dramatically more serious and intolerable,” Mattarella stated during the traditional fan ceremony at the Quirinal Palace before parliament’s summer recess.

According to Ansa News Agency, President Mattarella expressed hope that the announced pauses in the fighting would lead to an effective ceasefire. He criticized the series of Israeli strikes that have caused significant civilian casualties, emphasizing that these actions could no longer be considered unintended. Mattarella highlighted the tragic impacts of these strikes, including attacks on ambulances, medical personnel, and civilians, as well as the destruction of hospitals and the targeting of children seeking basic necessities like water and food.

President Mattarella used a poignant example to illustrate the dire situation, recounting the story of a child admitted to an Italian hospital after losing his father and nine siblings in a bombing. He stressed the difficulty in viewing such repeated incidents as mere mistakes, suggesting a pattern of indiscriminate violence.

He also condemned the recent Israeli attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City, which resulted in three fatalities. Mattarella referenced historical wisdom, quoting the adage that “to err is human, to persevere is diabolical,” to underscore the gravity of repeated attacks labeled as mistakes.