There are too many civilian casualties in Gaza despite calls on Israel to strike only Hamas bases, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Sunday evening.

“We have strongly asked Israel to strike only the terrorist bases and the places from where missiles are launched” and “to give the civilian population a chance to stay out of the war,” Tajani told Fabio Fazio during the talk show Che Tempo Che Fa on Nove. “Unfortunately this does not always happen and there are too many civilian casualties,” he continued.

“We are in favour of pauses to allow civilians to move through humanitarian corridors,” added Tajani.

The foreign minister also said the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) led by Abu Mazen is the “right” interlocutor for establishing a democracy in Palestine once hostilities have ceased.

“The Palestinian National Authority is the only authority we recognise, Hamas is a terrorist organisation that started this disaster with the aggression against defenceless civilians,” said Tajani.

“The PNA is the right interlocutor with whom to try to build a democracy in Palestine once the war is over,” the minister added.