Protest organized outside Italian Foreign Ministry in support of Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla

A protest was held outside the Italian Foreign Ministry on Saturday in support of the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters this week, national news agency ANSA reported.

"The flotilla is setting off again. We will use these days to fix everything and get the boats back in order," an activist said at a news conference held by the Italian delegation of Global Sumud Flotilla in front of the ministry building.

He reaffirmed that their companions from Greece, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and all across Europe have mobilized to come there.

"We'll set off again, and there will be even more of us than when we left Sicily. If before we had a million reasons to go to Gaza, now we have one more," Luca said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla was attacked on Thursday near a Greek island, some 600 nautical miles from its destination, the blockade-ravaged enclave of Gaza.

On Thursday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said 175 activists had been detained after more than 20 vessels were seized in international waters while en route to the Gaza Strip.

Most participants were released in the Greek island of Crete, many of whom arrived in Türkiye, but two are still being held for questioning.

Maria Elena Delia, the Italian spokesperson for Global Sumud Italia, called for their release during the news conference.

"If they are allowed to be kidnapped in international waters from a vessel flying the Italian flag, it is a further escalation of a systematic and unpunished violation of international law. We ask everyone to take action and mobilize, to establish permanent protests," she said.

The flotilla's first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, left Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel's years-long blockade of Gaza.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli army launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, and destroying the enclave.