The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in which the Palestinian enclave's health-ministry says over 28,400 people have been killed is not "genocide", Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday. But he underlined that the casualities from the 130-day-old conflict were "too many".
"I don't believe there is a genocide" taking place in the Gaza Strip, the word is wrong, also from a legal point of view in respect of Israel's actions," Tajani told public Radio Rai 1.
Tajani was responding to a question over a call to “stop genocide” by rapper Ghali while on stage at the San Remo music festival, Italy's biggest showbiz event, which drew criticism from Israel's ambassador.
"Israel is making a mistake because its reaction to the horrible attack on 7 October is causing too many civilian victims," he said.
Tajani referred to Hamas' surprise cross-border attack on 7 October last year in which 1,200 Israeli were killed including hundreds of young people attending the Nova music festival and over 200 were abducted.
Italy has "always" urged Israel to avoid heavy reprisals against the Palestinian (civilian) population, Tajani said.
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