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Italian PM calls on Hamas to free abducted Israeli soldier |
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07:23, July 10, 2007 |
Visiting Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Monday urged the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip to free the captured Israeli soldier, local daily Ha'aretz reported.
Speaking at a news conference with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, Prodi demanded an immediate release of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier Gilad Shalit, who was seized near Gaza by the Palestinian militant groups linked to Hamas during a cross- border attack in June 2006.
"I call on Hamas to release Gilad Shalit without further delay, " Prodi said in remarks translated from Italian. "He has been in captivity for too long."
Meanwhile, Prodi reaffirmed Italy's support for Abbas and the emergency government that set up in the West Bank following Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza a month ago.
However, he said that a humanitarian crisis in Gaza must be avoided at all costs.
Olmert, on his part, said that despite the events in Gaza, Israel and Italy continue to see both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as parts of Palestinian entity.
"We both think that Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian (National) Authority, but it is clear that we cannot accept the violent aggression of the Hamas terror organization which is controlling Gaza and we hope that this situation will change," he said.
Prodi is on a three-day visit to Israel and the West Bank to discuss ways to promote the peace process in the Middle East.
Source: Xinhua
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