Greece and Italy have called on Israel not to hurt activists aboard the international Global Sumud Flotilla heading to Gaza to deliver aid.
“[We] are calling on the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety and security of the participants and to allow for all consular protection measures,” a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers in the two countries said.
Athens and Rome also called on activists to accept a compromise proposal to hand over the aid to the Catholic Church, letting it distribute it in Gaza, and avoid a direct confrontation with Israel.
“Thanks to the diplomatic initiative of US President Donald J. Trump, for the first time there is a concrete possibility of ending this brutal conflict and the suffering of the Palestinian population, including through full humanitarian access,” the statement said.
“Greece and Italy reaffirm the need to guarantee humanitarian access to Gaza and reach a ceasefire as soon as possible. At this delicate juncture, everyone must refrain from initiatives that could be exploited by those who still reject peace,”the two ministries said among others – See Join Statement below
Flotilla members have reportedly repeatedly rejected the proposal to hand over aid to the Catholic Church, saying that a key part of their mission is to challenge and expose Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza, which they consider unlawful.
The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 people, among them parliamentarians, lawyers and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The flotilla said Israeli vessels approached some of its boats and engaged in “dangerous and intimidatory maneuvers” on Wednesday as it neared the war-stricken strip.
The mission’s organizers said two Israeli “warships” had approached fast and encircled two of the flotilla’s boats, Alma and Sirius. All navigation and communication devices went down in what one organizer on board, Thiago Ávila, described in a press conference as a “cyberattack”.
The flotilla appeared to have recovered some communications.
Israeli officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment, reuters reported.
Join statement of Greece and Italy
Greece and Italy are closely monitoring developments in the Global Sumud Flotilla and call on the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety and security of the participants and to allow for all consular protection measures.
We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic and the Italian Republic, appeal to the women and men of the Flotilla to accept the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s offer to safely deliver aid intended in solidarity with the children, women, and men of Gaza.
Thanks to the diplomatic initiative of US President Donald J. Trump, for the first time there is a concrete possibility of ending this brutal conflict and the suffering of the Palestinian population, including through full humanitarian access.
Greece and Italy reaffirm the need to guarantee humanitarian access to Gaza and reach a ceasefire as soon as possible.
At this delicate juncture, everyone must refrain from initiatives that could be exploited by those who still reject peace.
October 1, 2025
