In the meeting in Egypt with the Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani he ”insisted on the two Italian citizens who have double passports and who are most likely among the hostages” of Hamas, captured after the attack on Israel last Saturday. In a press point in Cairo, Tajani said that ”this morning I spoke with his son and confirmed to him that the Italian government, in liaison with the Israeli authorities, is doing everything to free the two citizens of whom we do not have news ”.
Tajani added that ”we work to avoid a tragic outcome for the hostages” and ”we are in favor of humanitarian corridors for the release of prisoners”.
The request to Egypt: “Work to de-escalation conflict, hostages priority”
The minister expressed to the secretary of the Arab League the importance of working for ”a de-escalation of the conflict” in the Middle East ”preventing it from spreading to Lebanon” and to ”save the lives of the hostages” which is ” ‘a priority”. Tajani asked to do ”everything possible for de escalation”.
The deputy prime minister and minister has scheduled meetings with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Who are the Italian hostages
The two missing Italian-Israeli citizens with dual passports are husband and wife, Eviatar Mosche Kipnis and Lilach Lea Havron. The couple lived in Kibbutz Be’eri where more than 100 bodies were discovered 48 hours after the attack.
“The last thing I remember of my mother is her worried voice on the phone, then suddenly the sound of shots breaking the windows, harsh and unknown noises entering our house, the phone call interrupting…”, his son Yotam said to Radio Rai.
“We owe Italian citizenship to my great maternal grandfather, who was the Doctor of King Vittorio Emanuele III, his name was Giacomo di Castel Nuovo. I also want to add that my father is passionate about the Italian language. The last time I went to visit them he loudly recited verses in Italian… – continues Yotam Kipnis – When I think of my parents I try to be as optimistic and hopeful as possible; it’s a way to encourage myself, to not let myself be paralyzed by pain, to do something that can help them stay safe and healthy.”
“My father is disabled, he suffers from a neurological problem, he is in a wheelchair, he has to go to hospital once a week for medicine, otherwise his body will be completely paralyzed, he suffers from a major disease involving the nerves. But , since Saturday, his photo has been deleted from his WhatsApp account, and he has disappeared from all the chats… – Yotam Kipnis continues – It’s like living in limbo, I don’t know if my parents are alive or dead… I try to to be realistic and do everything in my power to help, not only for my own but for all the hostages. I ask Italy and the Italians to help us make sure that a negotiation starts, and that at least they can receive medicine. I think two states trying to free hostages are better than one, I think this is the time to find unity.”
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