According to a report by the Times of Israel on Wednesday 24 September, 2025, Italy is warning Israel to guarantee the safety of pro-Palestinian activists sailing toward Gaza, following a series of troubling drone encounters near Crete. Organizers of the so-called Global Sumud Flotilla reported a string of aerial incidents overnight, describing what they believe were stun grenades dropped onto several of the 51 vessels currently off the Greek coast.
Rome isn’t taking the situation lightly. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that among those aboard are Italian citizens, members of parliament, and European lawmakers. In response to the escalating tensions, the Italian government has deployed the Navy frigate ‘Virginio Fasan’ to the eastern Mediterranean.
The move came after what Tajani described as “multiple explosions” heard near the boats on Tuesday night. According to the flotilla’s organizers, the drones not only dropped objects – reportedly damaging sails and causing hearing injuries – but also interfered with their communications.
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“To ensure their safety, the foreign ministry had already notified Israeli authorities that any operation entrusted to Israeli forces must be conducted in compliance with international law and the principle of absolute caution,” the ministry said in a statement.
Behind the scenes, Italian diplomats have been in touch with their counterparts in Tel Aviv. Tajani directed the embassy there to reiterate Italy’s demand for the “absolute protection” of all individuals aboard the flotilla, a point he says had already been raised with Israeli officials in recent days.
The flotilla departed from Barcelona earlier this month. Its stated aim is to challenge Israel’s long-standing naval blockade of Gaza and to deliver symbolic aid – a move Tel Aviv views as provocative, but supporters argue is a form of peaceful protest.
So far, the convoy is made up of over 50 boats. Most are clustered near Crete, with some stragglers set to join from other parts of the Mediterranean.
Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed Wednesday that the Fasan, which had been operating north of Crete, was already en route to the flotilla’s location for potential rescue efforts. He emphasized that while Italy respects Israel’s security concerns, peaceful protests must be protected.
“In a democracy, demonstrations and forms of protest must also be protected when they are carried out in accordance with international law and without resorting to violence,” Crosetto said.
Earlier this month, a smaller group of vessels preparing to join the flotilla from Tunisia had also reported drone incidents. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who boarded there, accused Israel of attempting to intimidate the mission through what she called “scare tactics.”
Speaking via livestream Wednesday morning, Thunberg was defiant. “We were aware of the risks of these kinds of attacks and that’s not something that’s going to stop us,” she said. “The most important thing isn’t that we were hit by drones. Drones are something that Palestinians experience 24-7,” she further stated.
Other participants echoed similar concerns. Simone Zambrin, an Italian activist onboard one of the boats, said drones had been circling the flotilla for days. On Wednesday, he said, they dropped objects directly onto the boats, damaging equipment and reportedly injuring crew members’ hearing. He characterized the attacks as an attempt to frighten them into retreat.
“It’s all part of the rhetoric,” Zambrin explained, adding that “They want to sow fear because they fear what our arrival represents.”
Greg Stoker, an American aboard another vessel, posted on social media that the flotilla’s radio systems had been jammed – and, in a bizarre twist, an ABBA song was played over their communications channel.
This isn’t Israel’s first attempt to halt such missions. Authorities in Tel Aviv have previously stopped two other maritime efforts to reach Gaza, both earlier this summer.