Italians on Flotilla Boats Intercepted by Israel

Rome: At least 22 Italian nationals were on boats involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla that were intercepted by Israeli military ships on Wednesday and Thursday as they headed towards Gaza, activists said. The vessels boarded by the Israeli forces included the ‘Morgana’, which 5-Star Movement (M5S) Senator Marco Croatti and Green Left Alliance (AVS) MEP Benedetta Scuderi were aboard, they said.

According to Ansa News Agency, at the time of writing, 19 of the boats involved in the bid to break through the Israeli Naval blockade to get aid to Gaza had been intercepted, while 23 were still en route to the Strip and two others seemed to have changed direction and be heading towards Cyprus. “Our consulate will assist all the Italians,” Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said. He stated on Wednesday that the activists will be taken to Israel and then repatriated within days.

“(Climate activist) Greta (Thunberg) and her friends are safe and sound,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. A group named Jurists and Lawyers for Palestine (GAP) announced they will file a complaint to Rome prosecutors for alleged piracy against the flotilla and against the Italian government for failing to protect it.