Italy will send a hospital ship close to the coast of Gaza to help treat victims of the Israeli aggression, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said.

The ship is leaving on Wednesday from the western Italian port of Civitavecchia with 170 staff, including 30 people trained for medical emergencies, the minister said, adding that Italy was also working to send a field hospital to Gaza.

Crosetto suggested that two Italian naval vessels already sent to the region were likely to remain in place.

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