House and Senate agree to support US plan for Gaza and conditional recognition of Palestine

The Chamber of Deputies has also approved with 175 votes in favour, 7 abstentions and 108 against the first (more substantial) resolution presented by the majority on Gaza, which in addition to support for the US plan envisages "taking action to recognise the Palestinian state on condition that Hamas frees all hostages and renounces all political and military presence in Gaza and the West Bank". Ten commitments are contained in it, among them also "to continue the actions aimed at guaranteeing the rapid and safe return of the activists on board" of the "Flotilla".

"Our response to the drama in Gaza are the children, now almost 200 who can be treated in Italy," the foreign minister said in his speech. "Last night a first group of Palestinian students arrived," he added, "and another 100-150 will arrive in the coming days."

In the briefing, the minister emphasised that 'Israel and the Palestinian National Authority have accepted the American peace plan, many important Arab and Muslim countries have done the same, a future governed by Arab representatives, a gradual but rapid withdrawal of Israeli forces, and an ambitious reconstruction plan with Saudi, American and other capital are on the horizon for Gaza. Everything now depends on Hamas, on the response it will give. Salvation or tragedy for the people of Gaza depends on their choices'. "Italy is ready to play its part,' he added.

"The humanitarian crisis in the Strip, we have said it repeatedly, is unacceptable. This carnage must end". So said Tajani in his statement to the House on Gaza, adding that "just as we will always be friends of the Palestinian people, so we are friends of the people of Israel. We will never allow a great democracy to be endangered, the state created by the survivors of Auschwitz and the Warsaw Ghetto to be endangered. However, we have asked Israel to put an end,' said the deputy prime minister, 'to stop violating international humanitarian law, not to inflict violence on a defenceless and innocent population. Gaza is not Hamas, the Palestinians are not Hamas. They are the first victims of Hamas. Unfortunately these demands of ours have been disregarded, the inhabitants of Gaza, used as hostages or as human shields by the terrorists, have suffered dramatically from the effects of Israel's military action that has gone far beyond the right to self-defence'.

Talking about the Italian activists of the Flotilla Tajani said, in his reply speech to the Senate: "I want to give you the latest updates: Israel has confirmed the conclusion of the Navy's operations at sea and the transfer to Ashdod has begun. The number of Italians detained is now 40". "We continue to monitor the situation," he added. On my instructions, the Consulate in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General in Jerusalem will assist all the Italians, both at the port and in the repatriation procedures. Already since tonight, the two Consulates have been in contact with the lawyers of the Italian citizens who embarked. According to the information available, gathered through the Crisis Unit, which is following the situation step by step, all our compatriots are in good condition"..

"The boardings," Tajani clarified, "were peaceful and without violence and prepared by numerous approach measures, starting from the mother ship Alma. According to information from our Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Navy employed more than 16 ships in the operation, which will end today, due to precautions taken to avoid accidents. The arrival in Ashdod will still take several hours. At the port in Ashdod, the members of the Flotilla will be identified and detained, and then transferred by charter flights to Europe."

"The Israeli authorities are intent on making a single court order of forced expulsion of all the members of the Flotilla. They will transfer them on Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th to Ben Gurion airport and with two flights send them to two separate European capitals". For now 'they have asked for Madrid and London, but we will see. I don't think the flights will arrive in Italy,' Tajani affirmed, giving the latest updates on the activists on board the Flotilla.

I ministri degli Esteri Antonio Tajani (sx) e della Difesa Guido Crosetto nell’aula della Camera dei deputati durante le comunicazioni sulla situazione nella Striscia di Gaza, Roma, Giovedì 2 Ottobre 2025 (Foto Roberto Monaldo / LaPresse)

"I had repeatedly spoken with the Israeli Minister Sa'ar, asking for aggressive actions to be avoided," explained the head of the Foreign Ministry. "I am relieved to see that the rules of engagement have been respected and that so far there are no acts of violence or complications in the operations of the Israeli forces. As early as Friday, the first departures could take place, especially for those who will agree to leave Israel voluntarily. For those who will refuse immediate expulsion, it will be necessary to wait for the Israeli Judicial Authority's rejection order, which could take 48-72 hours".

With regard to the clashes of the last few hours at the pro-Pal demonstrations, the minister said: 'It is right to demonstrate and protest but demonstrations must never degenerate because there is no justification for smashing shop windows because the shopkeeper is a worker just as the 60 injured policemen are not to blame. If I have to choose between the violent and the policemen, I choose the policemen, as Pasolini said, the sons of daddy against the sons of the people.

The majority has reportedly prepared two resolutions. The first one also mentions the conditions for the recognition of the Palestinian state, the second one only mentions Trump's peace plan. "WHEREAS, the US administration has prepared a peace plan for the Near East that has found the consensus of many Arab countries, Israel, the Palestinian National Authority and most European nations, it commits the government to carry out all useful activities to support and encourage the peace initiative put in place by the US, which today constitutes the only realistic prospect for ending a bloody conflict."

"To recognise Palestine as a democratic and sovereign state within the 1967 borders and with Jerusalem as its shared capital; to support, in all international and multilateral fora, starting with the negotiations that have opened around the truce proposal put forward by the US, every initiative aimed at demanding an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of the Israeli hostages still in the hands of Hamas support at the European level the adoption of sanctions against the Israeli government; take all necessary actions, nationally and internationally, to ensure full protection, respect for the rights and safety of the activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla". These are the demands contained in the resolution presented to the House by the PD, M5S and AVS, signed by leaders Elly Schlein, Giuseppe Conte, Angelo Bonelli, Nicola Fratoianni and group leaders Chiara Braga, Riccardo and Luana Zanella.

Sparks broke out between M5s-Lega and FdI in the Chamber of Deputies after the deputy prime minister's communications. After talking about the Flotilla, the Pentastellati group leader Riccardo Ricciardi said: "I was there yesterday in those squares" that protested in Rome "and you couldn't wait for them to storm these buildings, instead it was a demonstration of indignation" for the posture on Gaza. Ricciardi then warned: "Whatever happens, nobody instrumentalises", it would be "repellent after saying nothing in these years" about Gaza. "Those who set fire to the squares kill democracy, the bad masters return," said Paolo Formentini of the League immediately afterwards, "We do not dream of bringing down the government with violence. 'Very serious is that these people took to the streets in an attempt to occupy school streets,' said Salvatore Caiata of FdI. "Politics is not done this way, forcing blockades, taking people to the streets, you don't help the Palestinians by striking and occupying the streets," he added. Caiata then appealed to the PD and Avs to vote for the majority resolution centred only on the peace plan, "not the 5s because they are interested in political speculation".

"Your appeal for unity is ridiculous, to what unity do you appeal? Can we in the least share" your actions, a "historic disgrace"? M5s leader Giuseppe Conte said this in the Chamber of Deputies after Minister Antonio Tajani's communications. Conte also pointed out critical points 'in the peace plan' proposed by the US: 'The usual story is being built: on the one hand the opulent are getting more and more opulent, on the other the hungry are getting hungrier and hungrier'.