Global Sumud Flotilla boats head closer to Gaza coasts, splitting Italian politics

The 46 boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla continued their journey towards the Gaza coasts on Tuesday, drawing ever closer to the so-called interception zone, which the humanitarian mission expects to reach as soon as Wednesday.

The flotilla – an international initiative aimed at reaching the Gaza Strip to lift the Israeli siege and deliver humanitarian aid – on Tuesday was about 150 nautical miles away from the high-risk zone, according to a statement from the organization.

The mission has further split Italian politics, with the center-left opposition supporting it with four of their parliamentarians onboard.

Italy’s right-wing premier Giorgia Meloni and her government have instead strongly criticized the flotilla, calling the activists “irresponsible” as they risk causing a diplomatic incident within Israel or even putting their lives at risk in case of a violent clash with Israeli forces.

Israel claims the mission is financed by Hamas and has pledged to stop the activists from reaching the Gaza coasts.

"On Wednesday, we will be in the interception zone, and on Thursday, we will arrive. The mission is headed for the Strip: it is the only way to open a permanent humanitarian channel,” said Tony La Piccirella, one of the Italians on board. He added that, according to international law, the flotilla is facing no real risks.

“Any danger is linked to possible Israeli violence, which governments still allow to go beyond international law,” he added.

Italy's biggest union CGIL has pledged a general strike if the flotilla is attacked or activists were arrested.

The Italian government has backed a mediation proposal made last week for the flotilla to take the aid to Cyprus for a possible distribution in Gaza through the Jerusalem Patriarchate headed by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. The flotilla has for now rejected the plan, proposing as an alternative the creation of a permanent humanitarian corridor to reach Gaza.

The Israeli army has killed over 66,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to a famine.