Update: In a joint press conference with Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Romania’s PM Marcel Ciolacu sent a message of solidarity to the Israeli people and strongly condemned the terrorist attacks. 

“Along with the international community, Romania calls for the immediate release of all hostages and kidnapped persons and the refraining from any further aggression, especially against civilian targets,” Ciolacu said. “I conveyed to prime minister Netanyahu that in the face of these attacks, Israel has the right to defend itself in full compliance with humanitarian law,” he added.

The Romanian official also called for the facilitation of humanitarian corridors in Gaza.

“I reiterate the necessity and urgency of a lasting peace in the Middle East. I wish for a common effort to safely evacuate Romanian citizens from the Gaza Strip,” PM Ciolacu stated.

In his turn, Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Romania for its solidarity and said Israel will continue to assist the exit of Romanian nationals from Gaza, “to the extent that that’s possible.”

“The quest for peace in the Middle East is something we share; such a peace will only be possible if this Caliphate, this Daesh Caliphate, is destroyed,” the Israeli PM also said.

Initial story: Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu is in Israel today, October 17, to meet with PM Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives of the Romanian community affected by the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

The Romanian official will also have a meeting with Menachem Hacohen, chief rabbi of the Jewish community in Romania during the period 1997-2011.

“I went to Israel to convey our message of solidarity to the Israeli people and a strong signal of support to the important Romanian community living in this country. In such troubled times, Romania continues to be a factor of stability, to defend peace, democratic values, human rights and to firmly combat terrorism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and hate speech,” Ciolacu said, as quoted in the official press release.

The Romanian delegation to Israel also includes defense minister Angel Tîlvăr, foreign affairs minister Luminița Odobescu, deputy Silviu Vexler - president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, and the Romanian ambassador to Israel, Radu Ioanid.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Marcel Ciolacu)