(MENAFN) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Monday that Italy is moving closer to officially recognizing the State of Palestine in light of the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

"Clearly, if the plan is implemented, Italy's recognition of Palestine will certainly be closer," Meloni told reporters on the sidelines of the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt.

She emphasized that Italy remains committed to supporting the creation of a Palestinian state while continuing to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Meloni also said her government is prepared to contribute to Gaza’s stabilization efforts, including deploying Italian Carabinieri forces if mandated by a UN resolution.

"Italy is ready to do its part. It's a great opportunity. It's a historic day. I'm proud that Italy is here," she said.

Calling the Gaza ceasefire agreement “a great success” for US President Donald Trump, Meloni added, "We wish him more (successes), starting with Ukraine."

According to reports, Trump recently announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the initial phase of a peace plan he unveiled on September 29. The plan includes a ceasefire, the release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. The first phase took effect on Friday.

The second stage of the plan envisions creating a new governing framework in Gaza, forming a multinational peacekeeping force, and overseeing the disarmament of Hamas.

Earlier Monday, Palestinian detainees began to be released from Israeli prisons after Hamas freed all 20 surviving Israeli captives held in Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israeli military operations have killed more than 67,800 Palestinians in the enclave—most of them women and children—leaving much of Gaza devastated and uninhabitable.

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