Israel is preparing for the Sumud flotilla’s arrival, which is expected to occur on Tuesday or Wednesday – on the Jewish Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The IDF’s naval forces are preparing to intercept the flotilla and for the possibility of an active takeover.
A special task force has been established for its interception over the holiday with the participation of the IDF, Shin Bet, the police, and the Foreign Ministry. The activists will be brought to Israeli shores, where they will be arrested and deported from the country as soon as possible. Anyone who refuses will be held in custody.
The military conveyed messages to the flotilla’s leaders, including climate activist Greta Thunberg again, that they will not allow them to reach the shores of the Gaza Strip. They have made it clear that if they are still interested in transferring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, they can dock at the port of Ashdod, unload the cargo there, and Israel will transfer it.
Italy has also urged flotilla members to accept a compromise proposal to drop aid in a Cyprus port and avoid a confrontation with Israeli forces. But representatives refused the offer.
Docs from Gaza directly link flotilla funding to Hamas
“With the peace plan for the Middle East proposed by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, a hope of agreement has finally opened up to end the war and the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population and to stabilize the region,” Italy’s Giorgia Meloni wrote on X overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, asking the flotilla to turn around and leave the aid to be distributed by other means.
“Any other choice risks turning into an instrument to prevent peace, fuel the conflict, and thus strike especially at that population of Gaza to which it is said one wants to bring relief. It is time for seriousness and responsibility,” she wrote.
“We say again: the flotilla sails onwards. The Italian navy will not derail this mission. The humanitarian demand to break the blockade cannot be walked back to port,” the Global Sumud Flotilla said back in a statement.