Italian activists and parliamentarian detained after Israeli navy intercepts Global Sumud Flotilla

On 19 May the Israeli navy intercepted a boat from the second Global Sumud Flotilla mission in international waters. Among those on board were EU parliamentarian Dario Carotenuto and journalist Alessandro Mantovani. The vessel was boarded, the activists were handcuffed and later taken to Ben Gurion Airport, where they were released after several hours of detention.

Separately, ten members of the Flotilla’s land convoy were arrested in Libya while attempting to reach Gaza via Egypt. The detainees include two Italians, Domenico Centrone and Leonarda Alberizia, who have begun a hunger strike to protest their treatment. The activists are held in an isolated police facility in eastern Libya, denied medical visits and regular communication. Italy’s foreign ministry has sought improved conditions and the possibility of meeting the detainees, while Libyan authorities have extended their detention pending a court hearing.