Italy urged an international flotilla to hand over its aid supplies for Gaza on Wednesday and allow them to be distributed by the local Catholic Church, as a way to ward off further risks after the flotilla was attacked by drones overnight.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is using about 50 civilian boats to try and break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Many lawyers and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, are on board.
Italy sent a navy ship to the flotilla’s assistance after the vessels were attacked by 12 drones in international waters 30 nautical miles (56 km) off the Greek island of Gavdos. All passengers were safe after drones exploded over the vessels, said Marikaiti Stasinou, a spokesperson for March to Gaza Greece, which is part of the flotilla.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Rome’s proposal was to hand over the aid in Cyprus to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which would then deliver it.
“It is a proposal that seems to have the support of the Cypriot government, the Israeli government and, of course, the Italian government. We are awaiting a response from the flotilla,” Meloni told reporters in New York where she is attending the U.N. General Assembly.
Meloni urged the flotilla to accept the plan and criticized its aid initiative, calling it “gratuitous, dangerous and irresponsible”.
average euro moment
I hope the flotilla organizers understand if the aid is delivered to a church in Jerusalem then it’s just going to sit with the rest of the aid outside the Gaza border and not be allowed in.
Im certain tve people on the boats don’t expect the aid to make it to the people of Gaza regardless
“It is a proposal that seems to have the support of the Israeli government”
That’s good to hear. Because that’s definitely the party here whose opinions and support is so urgently needed, eh?
stfu meloni nobody asked
