The leader of Italy's opposition 5-Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, has called for a complete arms embargo against Israel, citing the ongoing attacks on Gaza.
In a post on social media, Conte highlighted the escalating toll of violence, with over 100 deaths in a 24-hour period and more than 300 children killed in just two weeks. He also noted that Israeli forces continue to target civilian infrastructure, including healthcare facilities and homes.
Conte criticized Italy and Europe for remaining silent in response to what he described as the Israeli government's brutality. He also condemned the European Parliament's response, calling it insufficient.
"A full arms embargo should be imposed on Israel, along with harsh economic and diplomatic sanctions against officials and their supporters," said Conte, who served as Italy's Prime Minister from 2018 to 2021.
Protests erupted in Milan, where hundreds gathered to denounce the killing of Palestinian journalists in Gaza by Israeli forces.
Since October 2023, over 50,500 Palestinians have died in the ongoing Israeli military operations, with the majority being women and children.
In November 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the conflict. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.