Italy orders Sumud Flotilla to return to Tunisian shores

The organizers of Sumud Flotilla announced today that they have been notified by the Italian Foreign Ministry that the accompanying Italian military frigate will order the participants to abandon their humanitarian mission and return to Tunisian shores where they originally sailed from. 

In response, the organizers issued an urgent statement accusing the Italian government of sabotaging and failing the mission, calling Rome's actions deliberate obstruction, not protection.

Organizers Accuse Italy of Being an Obstruction

The organizers' statement said that Italy is acting “as a tool in the hands of Israel” instead of protecting the international volunteers.

Flotilla Determined to Proceed

Despite the pressure from Italy and threats from ‘Israel’ to intercept the flotilla, the organizers confirmed that the participants are determined to continue their journey.

The statement stressed that the participants are fully aware of the risks and will not back down from their goal of breaking the siege on the Gaza Strip.

The flotilla, which consists of more than 50 ships, is approaching a point where a confrontation with the ‘Israeli’ navy is expected in the coming days, as they entered the Red Zone on early Tuesday.