(Adnkronos) – Italy’s government is following developments “minute by minute”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani stated on Monday after ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail last week from southern Turkey after earlier attempts to deliver crucial aid to war-razed Gaza were blocked by Israel and as organisers said Israeli forces had intercepted ten boats from the new flotilla.
“Even today, we are following minute by minute the evolution of all the events of the Flotilla through the foreign ministry’s crisis unit and our embassies in Israel, Turkey, and Cyprus,” Tajani wrote on X.
“In Tel Aviv, they have already taken, at my instruction, all additional necessary steps to request the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the Italian citizens involved,” the post added.
Two of the eight Italian-flagged boats had “certainly” been intercepted by Israeli forces and “at least seven or eight” of the 35 Italian on board had been arrested, according to Global Summit Flotilla’s Italy spokeswoman Maria Elena Delia.
A total 426 people from 39 countries are taking part in the new Global Sumud Flotilla, according to the group.
A previous flotilla set sail from Spain in April but Israeli forces intercepted several of its vessels, took over 100 pro-Palestinian activists to Crete and held two others in Israel, where they were treated roughly, according to the Global Summit Flotilla.
