European aid flotilla sails to Gaza with four MEPs aboard

Published connected 13/09/2025 - 15:21 GMT+2 •Updated 15:35

18 boats carrying assistance group sail connected Saturday from Sicily towards Gaza nether nan "Global Sumud Flotilla" banner, pinch 4 MEPs besides connected board. 

They are group to subordinate boats from Greece and Tunisia, immoderate of which left Barcelona astatine nan extremity of August, earlier heading together to nan Gaza Strip.

According to nan flotilla’s spokesperson, 34 boats successful full joined nan ngo pinch astir 600 group connected committee carrying around 500 tons of humanitarian aid.

The extremity is to present assistance to Palestinians successful nan biggest effort truthful acold to break nan Israeli blockade of Gaza. But this could prove very complicated, arsenic Israel’s authorities are successful afloat power of Gaza’s shores and waters disconnected nan strip.

A akin action, carried retired by a azygous vessel past June, ended pinch nan vessel being intercepted by Israeli authorities and its unit detained successful Israel for “illegal entry” earlier being repatriated. 

Activists will beryllium designated arsenic terrorists, imprisoned, and denied typical privileges specified arsenic television, radio, and prime of food, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told nan property astatine nan opening of September, touting a scheme aimed astatine halting nan flotilla.

In nan days earlier nan departure, 2 of nan Flotilla's vessels were allegedly targets of drone attacks in unclear circumstances. Both attacks were claimed to return spot successful Tunisian waters.  

The MEPs aboard see Italians Annalisa Corrado (Socialists and democrats) and Benedetta Scuderi (Greens/EFA),  France's Emma Fourreau (The Left), and Ireland's Lynn Boylan (The Left), who is besides chair of nan Parliament’s Delegation for Relations pinch Palestine. She is connected nan ineligible monitoring vessel that is accompanying nan Flotilla to archive immoderate imaginable breaches of quality authorities aliases world law.

Benedetta Scuderi and Annalisa Corrado told Euronews that, though they are scared, this wouldn't extremity them.

“I deliberation it's normal to beryllium acrophobic of facing nan Israeli government, which sets nary limits successful its destructive actions, acts contrary to world law, and has already stated it wants to dainty america arsenic terrorists. [...] But we will not beryllium intimidated,” said Scuderi.

“Of people I americium scared. However, this is simply a ngo worthy making oneself disposable for, moreover if nan consequences whitethorn beryllium dense aliases difficult to manage. I cannot moreover ideate nan fearfulness Palestinian children consciousness nether nan bombs aliases erstwhile being amputated of  their limbs without anesthesia.”

Both MEPs dream to summation world unit connected Israel and impulse nan European Union to enactment much boldly. “The relation agreements pinch Israel should beryllium suspended, nan State of Palestine should beryllium recognized, and humanitarian assistance should person afloat entree [into nan Gaza Strip],” said Corrado.

Scuderi asked nan EU to “break immoderate waste and acquisition and subject woody pinch Israel” and to punishment nan Israeli government. She considered Ursula von der Leyen’s pledge to punishment extremist ministers and nan country's convulsive settlers arsenic “insufficient”, but hoped it mightiness consequence successful actual actions. 

Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares said that Spanish citizens connected committee nan vessels will bask consular and negotiated protection.

A akin connection was released by nan Italian Foreign Affairs Minister, Antonio Tajani, during a parliamentary statement successful Rome. “Our embassy successful Tel Aviv has been activated and has raised consciousness pinch nan Israeli authorities astir respecting nan authorities of each Italian citizens connected committee nan Flotilla,” he said. Two Italian MPs are besides aboard nan flotilla.