ROME

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke to Qatar’s Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani about the need for a rapid de-escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, her office said Wednesday.

“Both have shared the need to work for a rapid de-escalation and support the mediation aimed at the release of the hostages,” according to her office.

Around 100 Israeli hostages are believed to have been taken by the Palestine Hamas group into the Gaza Strip, after a surprise attack against Israel last Saturday.

Families are still looking for their loved ones who disappeared after the attack and are believed to be held in Gaza.

The two leaders also shared a “common concern of a further enlargement of the conflict,” it added.

Meloni held talks Tuesday with United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, her office said Wednesday.

The two leaders discussed the need to de-escalate the conflict for fear it could spread and to support any mediation process to obtain the release of the hostages held by Hamas.​​​​​​​