ROME, October 24. /TASS/. The strike on the Al-Ahli Hospital in the Gaza Strip killed around 50 people, and not in excess of 470, as was alleged by the Palestinian authorities, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday.

"[The death toll was around] 50, not 500 and the responsibility for the massacre rests on Hamas rather than Israel," he said in an interview with the SkyTg24 television channel.

Israel’s response "to the foul attack it came under has been proportionate," he stressed.

According to the top Italian diplomat, Rome is making an effort to evacuate Italian citizens from the Gaza Strip. He said that seven Italian citizens, and seven people with dual Italian and Palestinian citizenship, and their family members - some 19 people in all - are currently located in the Gaza Strip.

The Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was hit on October 17. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the blast killed 471 people and as many as 342 were wounded. The Palestinian side placed the blame on Israel, whereas Israel said that the explosion was caused by a botched rocket launch conducted by the Islamic Jihad group. Following the incident, a period of mourning for the victims was declared in Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon and Turkey.