Italy condemns Israeli seizure of Gaza-bound flotilla, urges immediate release of citizens detained

In a brief statement, the conservative government led by Premier Giorgia Meloni urged Israel to “fully respect international law” and ensure the safety of those on board. Flotilla organizers said the vessels were intercepted overnight in international waters near Greece.

Italian media reported that about 24 Italians were among those taken into custody.

The Meloni government said it remained committed to providing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip “within the framework of international cooperation and in compliance with international law.”

The flotilla said Israeli forces seized 21 boats on Wednesday night a few miles off Greece’s territorial waters, while 17 others escaped and reached Greek waters. The group says the mission is carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and aims to challenge Israel’s longstanding naval blockade of the territory.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said on the social media company X that about 175 activists from more than 20 flotilla boats were “making their way peacefully to Israel.”

The Italian branch of the flotilla described the operation as an “armed intervention in international waters,” calling it a violation of international law and urging Rome and the European Union to take diplomatic steps.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday he had instructed Italy’s crisis unit and its embassies in Tel Aviv and Athens to seek clarification from Israeli and Greek authorities and to take the necessary measures to protect Italian citizens involved.

Organizers said around 60 boats and roughly 1,000 activists are participating in the flotilla, which departed in recent weeks from ports including Marseille and Barcelona in Spain and Syracuse in Sicily. A previous attempt last year ended with Israeli forces intercepting vessels in international waters and deporting hundreds of activists.

The new incident comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas reached in October 2025, which formally ended more than two years of fighting in Gaza. While large-scale combat has subsided, sporadic violence and disputes over aid delivery, troop withdrawals and Gaza’s postwar governance have continued, slowing efforts to advance the agreement’s next phases.