Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy has been asked to contribute a military presence to a future reconstruction or transitional process in Gaza and Palestine.

Tajani made the remarks during a visit to the Italian Military Support Base in Djibouti and the frigate Antonio Marceglia, where he marked the upcoming Christmas holiday with Italian troops, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency.

Addressing the soldiers, Tajani said Italian troops are recognized internationally as carriers of peace and are in demand across multiple regions.

"Like your colleagues deployed in other parts of the world, you are bearers of peace. Italian soldiers are needed everywhere,” Tajani said. "We are being asked for an Italian military presence for a future reconstruction or transitional phase in Gaza and Palestine, just as our troops are appreciated between Serbia and Kosovo, and in Albania and Montenegro.”

Tajani noted that Italian forces are deployed in many different locations and are valued for their ability to adapt to local conditions and their operational capabilities.

He also highlighted Italy’s strategic economic interests in the Red Sea, saying about 40% of Italy’s maritime trade passes through the area. Tajani said Italian troops participating in the European Union’s Aspides mission, launched in February 2024 to ensure maritime security, are helping protect those interests.

Tajani added that stability is urgently needed in Sudan, warning that continued instability poses a risk of irregular migration toward Italy.