Italy’s decision to withdraw naval support for the Global Sumud Flotilla has drawn sharp criticism from organisers, who accuse the government of abandoning hundreds of activists to potential Israeli aggression in the Mediterranean. The flotilla, comprising 47 civilian boats carrying more than 500 participants, including Greta Thunberg, is attempting to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian supplies.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy would not accompany the vessels beyond the 150-nautical-mile limit, urging activists to offload aid in Cyprus instead. She argued that continuing the mission could undermine fragile prospects for peace under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal for Gaza. Campaigners denounced the stance as “sabotage,” saying Italy had chosen to retreat “at the point of danger,” effectively leaving the flotilla exposed.
Legal analysts warn that Italy’s withdrawal also eliminates independent oversight, increasing the risk of unmonitored use of force by Israel in international waters. Humanitarian groups say Rome’s move reflects the broader unwillingness of Western states to challenge Israeli policies, even when civilian lives are at stake.
Israel has repeatedly vowed to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza, threatening to detain participants, tow vessels to Ashdod, and sink boats at sea if necessary. Organisers insist they are determined to sail onward, calling the blockade itself an illegal act of collective punishment against Gaza’s two million residents.
For campaigners, the convoy is both a humanitarian mission and a political statement against the continuation of a siege that has exacerbated shortages of medicine, food, and shelter.
