{"id":148012,"date":"2025-11-12T11:04:25","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T10:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/sala_stampa\/archivionotizie\/\/2025\/09\/food-for-gaza-limpegno-umanitario-dellitalia\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T14:35:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T12:35:16","slug":"food-for-gaza-limpegno-umanitario-dellitalia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/sala_stampa\/archivionotizie\/eventi\/2025\/11\/food-for-gaza-limpegno-umanitario-dellitalia\/","title":{"rendered":"Food for Gaza. Italy&#8217;s Humanitarian Commitment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Latest update on February 2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Foreign Minister Tajani launched the\u00a0<b>&#8220;Food for Gaza&#8221;<\/b>\u00a0initiative on\u00a0<b>March 11, 2024<\/b>, in a meeting in Rome with Qu Dongyu,\u00a0<b>Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)<\/b>, Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the\u00a0<b>World Food Programme (WFP)<\/b>, and Xavier Castellanos, Deputy Secretary General of\u00a0<b>the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC).<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<span lang=\"EN-GB\">The Food for Gaza initiative has the\u00a0<b>full support of Israel and the Palestinian National Authority<\/b>, whose Foreign Ministers have identified it as\u00a0<b>a model to follow<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">In recent months, the\u00a0<b>Council of Ministers<\/b>\u00a0extended the\u00a0<b>state of emergency for interventions in the Gaza Strip<\/b>,\u00a0<b>increasing the financial contributions dedicated to the Food for Gaza project alone to approximately \u20ac40 million<\/b>. This was also due to the\u00a0<b>new \u20ac10 million allocation to WHO and UNICEF<\/b>\u00a0to support hospitals, procure medicines, and support emergency medical and healthcare activities in the Gaza Strip.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">The initiative consists of\u00a0<b>three components<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li class=\"x_MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\"><b>Humanitarian aid<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"x_MsoNormal\"><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Assistance and medical care<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li class=\"x_MsoNormal\"><b>Educational programs<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b><u><span lang=\"EN-GB\">HUMANITARIAN AID<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-175698 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en1.jpeg\" alt=\"Food for Gaza en\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en1.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en1-1536x864.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Thanks to the Food for Gaza initiative, Italy has delivered approximately 2,300 tons of food, medical, and basic relief supplies to the Gaza Strip. The aid\u00a0<b>has been channelled through<\/b>\u00a0the World Food Program and the International Red Cross,\u00a0<b>authoritative and impartial institutions<\/b>\u00a0trusted by both sides.<\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Among the largest operations carried out to date, the WFP has distributed\u00a0<b>2,000 tons of flour<\/b>. Four convoys departed from Jordan over a period of approximately three weeks between July and August, with the aim of assisting approximately one million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.<\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Furthermore, with the crucial collaboration of the Ministry of Defence,\u00a0<b>airdrops were carried out to drop approximately 100 tons of food directly into Gaza<\/b>.<\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-175702 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en3.jpeg\" alt=\"Food for Gaza en\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en3.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en3-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en3-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en3-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en3-1536x864.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">As part of the humanitarian aid, 15 special\u00a0<b>trucks<\/b>\u00a0<b>were<\/b>\u00a0<b>delivered to WFP<\/b>\u00a0in February 2025, later modified to serve as &#8220;forklifts&#8221; for the\u00a0<b>distribution of aid within the Gaza Strip<\/b>. Furthermore,\u00a0<b>15 tons of humanitarian aid<\/b>, including basic necessities, such as blankets and hygiene supplies, were delivered along with the vehicles, intended to assist approximately 1,200 people.<\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">In August 2025<b>, 60 tons of nutrient-dense animal feed<\/b>\u00a0were also released into Gaza. This initiative was carried out\u00a0<b>in collaboration with the FAO<\/b>. The first distribution cycle involves the provision of two bags (100 kg) to each shepherd with at least one head of cattle; the goal is to reach 200 verified beneficiaries.<b>\u00a03,500 veterinary kits<\/b>\u00a0for animal care are also expected to enter Gaza.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b><u><span lang=\"EN-GB\">ASSISTANCE AND MEDICAL CARE<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-175695 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en.jpeg\" alt=\"Food for Gaza en\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Food-for-Gaza-en-1536x864.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Italy has <strong>prioritised the welcome of sick Palestinian children<\/strong>. Medical operations <strong>have so far enabled 259 patients from Gaza to be admitted to healthcare facilities in Italy<\/strong>, together with their families, <strong>for a total of over 940 people.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>last group of Palestinians arrived in Italy from Gaza on 9 February on three humanitarian flights<\/strong> to Rome, Milan and Pisa. The operation involved <strong>26 patients<\/strong>, all suffering from severe congenital diseases or major injuries and amputations, together with <strong>91 accompanying persons \u2013 117 people in total<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Such operations were made possible thanks to the coordination of the Prime Minister&#8217;s Office, jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Department of Civil Protection, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the European Civil Protection Mechanism. The <strong>intense diplomatic activity<\/strong> that made these operations possible involved the Embassies of Italy in Tel Aviv and Cairo and the Consulate General in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The <strong>healthcare facilities <\/strong>that have made themselves available for the latest operation are the <em>Bambino Ges\u00f9<\/em> Children\u2019s Hospital, the <em>Gemelli<\/em> General Hospital, and the <em>Umberto I<\/em> General Hospital in Rome; the <em>Santobono<\/em> and <em>dei Colli<\/em> Hospitals in Naples; the <em>Regina Margherita<\/em> Hospital in Turin; the University Hospital of Padua; the <em>San Gerardo<\/em> Hospital in Monza; the <em>ASST Niguarda<\/em> in Milan; the <em>Gaslini<\/em> Institute in Genoa; and the Hospital of Perugia.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the past, other healthcare facilities had also welcomed Palestinian patients, including: the <em>Papa Giovanni XXIII<\/em> Hospital in Bergamo; the <em>Maggiore, Sant&#8217;Orsola, <\/em>and <em>Rizzoli<\/em> Hospitals in Bologna; the <em>Spedali Civili<\/em> in Brescia; the <em>Pineta Grande<\/em> Hospital in Castel Volturno (Caserta); the Hospital of Catania; the Meyer Hospital in Florence; the Hospital of L&#8217;Aquila; Apuan Children&#8217;s Hospital in Massa; the <em>IRCCS San Raffaele<\/em> Institute for Clinical Research, the National Cancer Institute, the <em>Vittore Buzzi<\/em> Children&#8217;s Hospital, and the Milan General Hospital; the Modena General Hospital; the <em>Cisanello<\/em> Hospital in Pisa; the <em>San Camillo<\/em> Hospital in Rome; the <em>Veris Delli Ponti<\/em> Hospital in Scorrano (Lecce); the <em>Cattinara<\/em> Hospital in Trieste; the <em>Sette Laghi<\/em> Hospital in Varese; and the University Hospital of Verona.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Italy therefore confirms itself as the leading Western country \u2013 ahead of all other European countries combined &#8211;<\/strong> to have organized the transfer of patients from the Gaza Strip to specialized hospitals.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b><u><span lang=\"EN-GB\">EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-175701 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EducationalPrograms_12052026.jpeg\" alt=\"Food for Gaza en\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" \/><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>The Italian Foreign Ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of University and Research and the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI), has launched the \u201cUniversity Corridors\u201d initiative to allow young Palestinian scholarship holders awarded scholarships by Italian universities to leave their country and be hosted in Italy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>To date, 227 students and researchers have arrived in Italy<\/strong> as part of reception operations carried out in recent months, coordinated by the Crisis Unit of the Italian Foreign Ministry. Some transfers were made possible thanks to special flights operated by the Guardia di Finanza, organised by the Civil Protection Department and the European Civil Protection Mechanism, with the contribution of CRUI.<\/p>\n<p>More than 40 <strong>universities<\/strong> are currently involved, including the University of Bari, the University of Bergamo, the University of Bologna (Unibo), the University of Brescia, the University of Cagliari, the University of Calabria, the University of Camerino, the University of Catania, the University of Ferrara, the University of Foggia, the University of L\u2019Aquila, the University of Macerata, the University of Milano\u2013Bicocca, Bocconi University, the University of Milan (UniMi \u2013 La Statale), the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the University of Molise, the University of Naples Federico II, Parthenope University of Naples, the University of Padua, the University of Palermo, the University of Parma, the University of Pavia, the University of Perugia, the University for Foreigners of Perugia, the University of Eastern Piedmont, the University of Pisa, Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Roma Tre University, the University of Sassari, the University of Siena, the Polytechnic University of Turin, the University of Turin, the University of Trieste, the University of Tuscia, the University of Udine, the University of Urbino, the University of Varese\u2013Insubria, Ca\u2019 Foscari University of Venice and IUAV University of Venice.<\/p>\n<p>The operation is the<strong> result of complex diplomatic efforts<\/strong> involving the authorities of Israel and Jordan \u2014 through the work of the Embassies in Tel Aviv and Amman, as well as the Consulate General in Jerusalem \u2014 which made it possible to open a channel for students admitted to Italian universities for the current academic year. Work is ongoing to allow further scholarship holders to be hosted in Italy in the near future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More than 280 scholarships have been awarded to Palestinian students from Gaza<\/strong>, through both regular calls under the Italian university system and the \u201cItalian Universities for Palestinian Students\u201d (IUPALS) project, involving 41 Italian universities. In addition, over 50 scholarships have been awarded to Palestinian students residing in the West Bank.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to cooperation with the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and the John Paul II Foundation, Italy also organises Italian language courses in Bethlehem and Ramallah.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Latest update on February 2026 Foreign Minister Tajani launched the\u00a0&#8220;Food for Gaza&#8221;\u00a0initiative on\u00a0March 11, 2024, in a meeting in Rome with Qu Dongyu,\u00a0Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the\u00a0World Food Programme (WFP), and Xavier Castellanos, Deputy Secretary General of\u00a0the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). \u00a0The [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":155160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[29,6],"class_list":["post-148012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eventi","tag-cooperazione-sviluppo","tag-mediterraneo-e-medio-oriente"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148012"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148012\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187773,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148012\/revisions\/187773"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}