Italy's PM Meloni expresses 'deep concern' over Israel's Gaza plan

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed "deep concern" Monday over Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City, in a telephone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Meloni shared "her deep concern over recent Israeli decisions, which appear to be leading to further military escalation", and slammed the humanitarian situation in the Strip as "unjustifiable and unacceptable", her office said.

Israel has said its military would "take control" of Gaza City in a plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet that sparked a wave of global criticism.

Abbas's Palestinian National Authority governs areas in the West Bank but not in Gaza, controlled its rival Hamas.

In the call Meloni "reiterated the need to immediately end hostilities in order to continue providing humanitarian assistance to a desperate civilian population".

She also agreed with Abbas that "Hamas must release all hostages and accept that it will have no future in governing the Strip", her office said.

Netanyahu on Sunday said the military would conquer the remaining quarter or so of the Gaza territory not yet controlled by Israeli troops -- including much of Gaza City and Al-Mawasi, an Israeli-designated safe zone where huge numbers of Palestinians have sought refuge.