Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani highlighted the government's support for the Palestinian Authority and a two-state solution to the long-running conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in phone talks with new PA premier Mohammad Mustafa.
"To the new Palestinian prime minister and foreign minister Mohammad Mustafa, I confirmed the Italian government's support for the PA and the two peoples, two states solution," Tajani wrote on X after the pair held phone talks late on Wednesday.
"Italy is committed to a ceasefire that will allow the release of hostages and humanitarian assistance," Tajani added.
Tajani referred to the devastating war between Israel and Islamist Palestinian group Hamas, which began seven months ago after Hamas killed almost 1,200 people and abducted some 240 in a 7 October cross-border attack.
PA president Mahmoud Abbas last week approved Mustafa's new 23-minister government, whose priorities include the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Abbas appointed Mustafa - a US-educated economist and his longtime advisor - in mid-March. The move came amid US pressure to reform the PA, which has limited powers in areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
No Palestinian elections have been held since January 2006, polls which Hamas won. Abbas' presidential mandate expired in 2009.
