Italy urges Gaza flotilla to hand over aid after drone attack.

Extract from Reuters

By Angeliki Koutantou and Alvise Armellini

September 25, 20254:46 AM GMT+10Updated September 25, 2025

• Summary

• Aid flotilla of 50 vessels attacked overnight by drones
• Convoy aims to deliver aid and break Israel's Gaza blockade
• Italy says aid should be delivered through Latin Patriarchate
• Rome sends navy ship to offer assistance, condemns attack
• Israel says it will not allow any breach of the blockade

ATHENS/ROME, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Italy urged an international flotilla to hand over its aid supplies for Gaza on Wednesday and allow them to be distributed by the local Catholic Church, as a way to ward off further risks after the flotilla was attacked by drones overnight.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is using about 50 civilian boats to try and break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. Many lawyers and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, are on board.

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Italy sent a navy ship to the flotilla's assistance after the vessels were attacked by 12 drones in international waters 30 nautical miles (56 km) off the Greek island of Gavdos. All passengers were safe after drones exploded over the vessels, said Marikaiti Stasinou, a spokesperson for March to Gaza Greece, which is part of the flotilla.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Rome's proposal was to hand over the aid in Cyprus to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which would then deliver it.

"It is a proposal that seems to have the support of the Cypriot government, the Israeli government and, of course, the Italian government. We are awaiting a response from the flotilla," Meloni told reporters in New York where she is attending the U.N. General Assembly.

Meloni urged the flotilla to accept the plan and criticized its aid initiative, calling it "gratuitous, dangerous and irresponsible".

GSF said the attack affected 11 vessels and blamed Israel and its allies for "explosions, unidentified drones and communications jamming," saying it would not be intimidated and would continue to sail.

ITALIAN NAVY SHIP MOBILISED

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto strongly condemned the incident and said in a statement the sea convoy had been targeted by "currently unidentified perpetrators".

He ordered the Italian multi-purpose frigate Fasan, previously sailing north of Crete, to head towards the flotilla for possible rescue operations, focusing primarily on Italian citizens.

The GSF called on other nations to "ensure and facilitate effective protection, including maritime escort, accredited diplomatic observers, and an overt protective State presence. Italy has now taken a first step in this direction."