Italy PM says to Gaza Aid Flatilla to stop or risk “preventing peace”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told a flotilla by sailing towards Gaza to stop, saying that the last attempt of activists to provide the risk of helping an American plan to end the war.

More than 40 boats sailing in the Flotilla Global Sumud (GSF) were accompanied by an Italian naval frigate, which, according to Italian officials, would stop once the flotilla was 150 sea miles (278 km) from the shore of Gaza.

Shortly after reaching this point on Wednesday, GSF said it was on “high alert” and that drone activity “increased” above the flotilla.

Meloni said that the American proposal had sparked “hope” to end the War of Israel-Hamas, adding that it was “a fragile balance, that many would be happy to destroy”.

“I fear that the fleeting attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade could not serve as a pretext to do so,” said Meloni.

Israel told Flatilla to deliver humanitarian aid to an Israeli port instead, according to AFP news agency.

The flotilla consists of more than 500 people, including Italian politicians and a Swedish activist from the Greta Thunberg climate.

In a series of messages on Telegram early Wednesday morning, GSF said that he had now entered the area “where previous flutillalas had been attacked and / or intercepted”.

He added that they had prepared for a possible interception after several unidentified ships, some without lights, approached the flotilla. Unidentified ships have since left.

Italian officials urged the flotilla to accept a compromise and abandon the help of Cyprus to avoid confrontation with Israel.

“Any other choice risks becoming a pretext to prevent peace, fuel conflicts and therefore mainly affect the inhabitants of Gaza,” said Meloni.

But in a press release, the Global Sumud Flotilla said that it would continue to sail.

“The Italian navy will not derail this mission. The humanitarian demand to break the blockade cannot be returned to Port,” he said.

Last week, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto condemned what he said was a drone attack overnight by unidentified authors on the flotilla.

Italy and Spain have deployed naval ships in the flotilla, then off the coast of Crete, after reporting explosions, drones above and communications for the scrambling – accusing Israel of a “dangerous escalation”.

Israel did not comment on the incident – but said on several occasions that the flotilla was a Hamas operation, without citing the evidence.

Pope Leo XIV also expressed his concern for the safety of the flotilla. “On all sides, people say:” Hopefully there will be no violence, that people are respected “. It is very important,” he said.

In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Greta Thunberg pushed against criticism that the flotilla was a stroke of advertising.

“I do not think that anyone risk his life for a stroke of advertising,” she said.

The American peace plan for Gaza offers an immediate end to fighting, the release within 72 hours following 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas as well as the remains of the more than two dozen hostages that would have died – in exchange for hundreds of detained gas.