Italian journalist on Gaza flotilla calls for European support after Israeli attack

Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani, a correspondent for Il Fatto Quotidiano aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, said European governments have shown a "very weak" response to the Gaza crisis and called for greater support to end the siege, speaking before Israeli forces attacked the flotilla in international waters.

Mantovani, one of three European Union citizens on the Kasr-i Sadabad vessel, told Anadolu that the flotilla aimed to break both the blockade and what he described as a "wall of silence" in Europe. "The reason I joined the flotilla, as a newsmaker from Europe, is that I believe we should support this mission, which aims to end the war in Gaza," he said.

The flotilla of 54 boats, carrying activists from 39 countries, departed from the Turkish Mediterranean district of Marmaris on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Mantovani described the atmosphere as "like a public demonstration in the middle of the sea," adding that morale was good despite technical delays. He noted that participants who sailed from Barcelona and Sicily were more exhausted due to longer journeys.

Mantovani recalled that Israeli naval forces had already intercepted flotilla vessels in international waters near the Greek island of Crete in late April. "The response of European governments, starting with the Italian government, has been very weak," he said, adding that such a stance encourages Israel toward further escalation. He said Gaza is no longer being discussed in Italian media.

After the attack, the Global Sumud aid flotilla demanded "safe passage" for its humanitarian mission to the Gaza Strip, accusing Israel of carrying out "illegal acts of piracy." In a statement, the flotilla said Israeli forces attacked the first of its boats "in broad daylight" in international waters while military vessels intercepted the fleet. "We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission," the statement added.