Financing Hamas, Melillo and the Prosecutor: investigations do not erase Israel's crimes in Gaza
National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo and Genoa Prosecutor Nicola Piacente: at the same time, crimes cannot justify acts of terrorism (including those of 7 October 2023) carried out by Hamas
"The investigations and the facts that have emerged through them cannot in any way detract from the crimes committed against the Palestinian population after 7 October 2023 in the course of the military operations undertaken by the Government of Israel, for which the judgment of the International Criminal Court is awaited". These are the words of the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo and the Prosecutor of Genoa Nicola Piacente in their note on the operation that led to the arrest of nine people accused of financing Hamas. "At the same time," the magistrates added, "such crimes cannot justify the acts of terrorism (including those of 7 October 2023) carried out by Hamas and its related terrorist organisations against the civilian population, nor constitute a mitigating circumstance.
