(MENAFN) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Friday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and efforts toward achieving a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

"During the course of our meeting, I reiterated the need to consolidate the ceasefire and to initiate the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza," Meloni wrote on X after the meeting.

She emphasized the importance of swiftly implementing US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal for Gaza, "including through the disarmament of Hamas, which can have no role in the future of the Palestinian people."

Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s “strong and steadfast commitment” to humanitarian assistance for civilians through initiatives such as “Food for Gaza,” medical evacuations, and the “university corridor.” She also highlighted Italy’s continued support for training Palestinian police forces and backing the reform process of the Palestinian Authority.

"In reiterating the need to work toward a lasting political solution based on the two-state prospect, I confirmed that the Italian Government, also on the basis of the priorities indicated by the Palestinian Authority, is working on a package of humanitarian aid and reconstruction measures to be presented at the Gaza Conference that Egypt intends to convene," she added.

Before his meeting with Meloni, Abbas held discussions with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace. According to reports, Mattarella described the Palestinian Authority as “an absolutely key interlocutor for Italy and the international community.”

A day earlier, Abbas met Pope Leo at the Vatican for the first time, where both leaders underscored the urgent need to facilitate humanitarian access to Gaza and advance efforts toward a two-state solution.

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