Four Italian nationals have been deported from Israel following their detention during the interception of boats attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the deportations, stating that the process for other detained individuals was also in progress. In total, Israeli police reported detaining over 470 people.
The interceptions occurred as the final vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) was stopped by Israeli authorities on Friday morning. The GSF has condemned these actions as illegal, while Israel characterized the flotilla’s activities as provocative. The disruption of the flotilla led to international protests and a general strike in Italy.
The boats were initially intercepted approximately 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast, in international waters, with subsequent interceptions occurring closer to the shore. Israel maintains it was enforcing a naval blockade, but the GSF asserts the actions were unlawful.
The Israeli foreign ministry stated, “Already four Italian citizens have been deported. The rest are in the process of being deported. Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible.” While the ministry assured that all detainees were safe, the GSF alleged that many activists were assaulted with water cannons during the interceptions. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was reportedly on one of the boats, though her status was not immediately clarified.
The GSF reported that all 42 of their vessels, carrying humanitarian aid and volunteers aiming to break the Gaza blockade, were intercepted over 38 hours. The final boat, the Marinette, was reportedly boarded in international waters. Communications were cut, leaving the status of participants and crew uncertain. The GSF appealed for international pressure for the immediate safety and release of those detained.
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