The Foreign Ministries of Greece and Italy on Wednesday issued a joint statement calling on the Global Sumud Flotilla to accept the offer of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to safely deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, rather than attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade.
“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,” the two foreign ministers stated.
They appealed to the participants 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.”
The statement credited the diplomatic initiative of US President Donald J. Trump for opening “for the first time” a concrete possibility of ending the conflict and the suffering of the Palestinian Arab 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,” the joint statement continued, adding: “At this delicate juncture, everyone must refrain from initiatives that could be exploited by those who still reject peace.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the move, noting that Greece has now joined Italy in its appeal to the flotilla: “accept the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s offer to safely deliver aid intended in solidarity with the children, women, and men of Gaza.” He added that Spain had also called on the flotilla not to proceed.
“From all over, there are calls for this Hamas-Sumud provocation to stop. We join these calls and reiterate: It is not too late. Please transfer any aid you might have peacefully through the Port of Cyprus, the Ashkelon Marina, or any other port in the region into Gaza,” Sa’ar said.
The Global Sumud Flotilla departed Barcelona last month with the stated aim of delivering aid to Gaza and challenging Israel’s security cordon. The mission resumed on Sunday after undergoing repairs in Greek waters, with Greek vessels joining the effort. Organizers now report a total of 47 civilian boats, carrying activists from dozens of countries, including approximately 40 Italians and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The flotilla has announced plans to reach the area as early as Thursday, Yom Kippur.
The voyage has faced several alleged drone attacks, including one off the coast of Tunisia and another near Crete. The flotilla leadership has accused Israel of attempting to sabotage the mission, while Israel has reiterated that it will not permit any attempt to breach the naval blockade of Gaza. Israeli defense officials have activated a joint operations center, and hospitals along the coast have been placed on alert to prepare for possible medical treatment of participants should a confrontation occur.