Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced imposing strict restrictions on arms exports to Israel.

"After the start of the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip, the Government immediately suspended the issuance of all new licenses for the export of military materials to Israel,” Novosti quoted Meloni as saying in the Senate of the Italian Parliament on the eve of the EU summit on October 17-18.

"Thus, all contracts signed after October 7 were not executed. All export licenses issued before October 7 were analyzed on a case-by-case basis,” Meloni said.

"Italy’s position is stricter and more restrictive than those applied by partners in France, Germany and Britain,” Meloni stressed.

Meloni pointed out that Italy continues to evaluate new and old licenses and take measures to ban the export of weapons that could be used in the current crisis.