BORGO EGNAZIA, Italy — Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations wrapped up their two-day summit in the Puglia resort of Borgo Egnazia on Monday, releasing a joint communiqué that called for an immediate and durable ceasefire in Gaza, urged the release of all remaining hostages, and outlined a coordinated diplomatic response to what the statement termed China's 'systematic trade distortions and industrial overcapacity.'

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who chaired the session, told reporters that the ministers had reached consensus on the broad outlines of a Gaza position after extended late-night negotiations, with the United States and several European delegations working to reconcile differences over language regarding Israeli military operations in Rafah. 'We speak with one voice on the urgent need to protect civilian life and restore humanitarian access,' Tajani said at the closing press conference.

On China, the communiqué stopped short of announcing new coordinated tariffs but signalled that each member government would pursue 'aligned measures' to address what the G7 described as state-subsidised dumping in steel, electric vehicles, and solar panel sectors. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, attending his second G7 ministerial, welcomed the language as a foundation for closer coordination with European partners, despite lingering transatlantic disagreements over the pace of action.

The ministers also addressed the situation in Ukraine, reaffirming continued military and financial support and reiterating that sanctions on Russia would remain in place until a verifiable peace settlement is reached. A separate side meeting between Rubio and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas focused on accelerating defence industrial cooperation, according to officials briefed on the discussions.

Analysts noted that the communiqué's Gaza language represented a modest but meaningful tightening compared with previous G7 statements, reflecting pressure from European publics and governments increasingly critical of Israeli conduct in the conflict. The document is expected to be reviewed at next month's G7 leaders' summit, where heads of government will determine whether the foreign ministers' framework translates into concrete policy shifts.