ROME – More wounded children from Gaza arrived in Italy on Monday, on a ship which docked in the port of La Spezia, the prefecture announced. These 20 children and their families will receive medical treatment in Italian hospitals, after setting sail from Egypt last Wednesday.

 Italy already welcomed 24 Palestinians on Jan. 29 when 11 wounded children and their families arrived in the military airbase of Ciampino, in order to receive treatment in Italian hospitals.

 The Italian government has asked charities that promote humanitarian corridors, such as ARCI, Caritas Italiana, Comunità di Sant’Egidio and the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy to provide accommodation and host the Palestinians while the process of their recognition as refugees is pending.

 These organisations issued a statement on Monday saying that they are “hoping for an immediate ceasefire and a permanent resolution of the conflict” and reiterated to the government “the need to urgently activate a humanitarian corridor from the Gaza Strip.”

 However, Italy has joined countries such as the U.K. and the U.S.A in recently withdrawing funding from the UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, after Israel alleged that members of the agency were involved in the attacks on Oct. 7. 

 khg