Israel’s interception of an international flotilla carrying food and medicine to Gaza has triggered sharp condemnation and street protests across several countries, with governments in Italy, Turkey, and Colombia leading a wave of diplomatic backlash.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising more than 40 civilian boats with around 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists, set sail to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Organisers said 13 boats were stopped by Israeli forces early on Thursday, while 30 others continued towards the enclave.
A video released by Israel’s foreign ministry and verified by Reuters showed Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg seated on deck surrounded by soldiers during the interception.
Turkey’s foreign ministry denounced the action as “an act of terror” that endangered civilians.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expelled Israel’s diplomatic delegation following the detention of two Colombians, calling it a potential “new international crime” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He also cancelled Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned the move after eight Malaysians were detained, accusing Israel of showing “utter contempt not only for the rights of the Palestinian people but also for the conscience of the world.”
In Italy, unions announced a general strike for Friday in solidarity with the flotilla, following late-night protests in multiple cities on Wednesday.
Demonstrators in Naples occupied the central railway station, halting traffic, while police surrounded Termini station in Rome as crowds gathered nearby.
In Genoa, the Unione Sindacale di Base urged protesters to block the port on Thursday evening.
Italian dockworkers have already prevented ships they claim were linked to Israel from loading and docking over the past two weeks.
The Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro (CGIL) union said that the interception of ships carrying Italian citizens was “an extremely serious matter.”
The announcement of the strike follows an earlier nationwide work stoppage on September 22, called by the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) in support of Gaza and the flotilla, which turned violent in Milan.
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said his Israeli counterpart had assured him no violence would be used against activists on board.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Italy and Greece appealed to Israel to ensure the safety of passengers and to allow consular protection, while urging flotilla members to hand over their cargo to the Catholic Church for distribution in Gaza.
Organisers rejected the proposal, insisting their mission was also to challenge what they regard as Israel’s unlawful blockade.
The flotilla was intercepted about 70 nautical miles off Gaza, in a zone patrolled by Israel.
Organisers said communications, including live camera feeds, had been disrupted. They stated in a Telegram post that 30 boats were still heading toward Gaza, about 46 nautical miles away.
Israeli ambassador to Italy Jonathan Peled called it provocative, arguing that the refusal to hand over aid showed its goals were not humanitarian.
Israel has enforced a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007.
Previous attempts to breach it have ended in confrontation, most notably in 2010 when nine activists were killed after Israeli troops boarded a six-ship flotilla.
In June this year, Greta Thunberg and 11 others were detained while attempting a similar voyage.
The current escalation comes against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, launched after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Gaza health authorities say more than 65,000 people have been killed since then.
With inputs from Reuters