Strike in Italy over Gaza flotilla disrupts commuters

A nationwide strike in Italy disrupted rail services Friday as unions protested in support of the Gaza aid flotilla, leaving commuters facing cancellations and delays of up to 80 minutes.

The strike, organized by the USB and CGIL unions, followed large demonstrations on Thursday, including a march of about 10,000 people in Rome from the Colosseum. 

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Protesters again gathered Friday morning to march toward Termini station, where rail traffic was heavily affected.

"The squares will be packed," CGIL leader Maurizio Landini told Radio Anch’io. 

"It shows the humanity and determination of decent people who want to stop genocide and are doing what governments and states have pretended not to see or are even complicit in," Landini added. 

Similar disruptions were reported in Milan and other cities, with Trenitalia warning the strike would continue until Friday night. 

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on television that "today, one million Italians will be left stranded on trains alone." 

Local media also reported a blockade of commercial traffic at the port of Livorno.

The strike coincided with the release of four Italian parliamentarians arrested by ‘Israel’ from the Global Sumud Flotilla, which aims to break the blockade of Gaza. 

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, speaking at an EU meeting in Copenhagen, criticized the strike, saying, "I would have expected that at least on an issue they considered so important, the unions would not have called a general strike on Friday, because long weekends and revolution do not go together." 

She has previously called the flotilla a "dangerous, irresponsible" initiative, even as Italy deployed a navy frigate for assistance.

Meloni’s stance, aligned with US President Donald Trump and seen as reluctant to directly criticize ‘Israel’, has fueled weeks of protests across Italy. 

Meanwhile, the country’s strike authority declared Friday’s walkout illegal, saying unions had failed to provide the required 10-day notice.