Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, during his meeting with Lebanese counterpart Maurice Sleem in Yarzeh, affirmed that "Italy is in contact with the international community and regional countries to discuss the situation in Gaza," emphasizing the "importance of joint efforts to mitigate the effects of the conflict and prevent the involvement of other parties to avoid worsening the situation," and highlighting "the necessity of providing protection for innocent civilians." He spoke about the "ongoing cooperation between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army," confirming Italy's "full readiness to provide more support to the army."
For his part, Sleem thanked "Italy for its support to Lebanon and its assistance to the army," emphasizing "Lebanon's commitment to the safety of UNIFIL and its continuation of its mandated tasks." He pointed out that "the army has been and will continue to be keen on maintaining the highest levels of cooperation with UNIFIL." He also discussed "the crimes committed by the Israeli army against peaceable residents and its targeting of vital and residential facilities in Gaza, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law."
Sleem warned of "the danger of pushing Palestinians to leave their land, which intensifies the conflict and expands its scope." Additionally, the Commander of the Army, General Joseph Aoun, received the Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, accompanied by the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Nicoletta Bombardieri, along with a accompanying delegation, during which they discussed the general situation in the country and developments along the southern border.
