Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called on Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza, reiterating that it was time for a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, Reuters reports.

In an interview with daily La Stampa, Tajani stressed that the crisis in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas’ “barbaric” assault.

He added, “However, now a ceasefire is necessary. Israel must stop the military operations that have massively affected the Palestinian population.”