Istanbul: Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani, a member of the Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza, said he joined the mission because he believes Europeans should support efforts to end the siege on Gaza.

According to Anadolu Agency, Mantovani, a correspondent for the Italy-based newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, expressed his views aboard the Kasr-i Sadabad vessel, which departed from Trkiye as part of the flotilla. He mentioned being one of three European Union citizens on the boat attempting to reach Gaza. "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," Mantovani said.

He spoke ahead of the Israeli attack on the humanitarian flotilla, which is carrying activists from 39 countries, in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The flotilla, consisting of 54 boats, set sail on Thursday from the Turkish Mediterranean district of Marmaris in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, in place since the summer of 2007.

The Italian journalist noted that Gaza is no longer being discussed in the Italian media and recalled that Israeli naval forces had previously intervened with flotilla vessels in international waters near the Greek island of Crete in the eastern Mediterranean in late April. "I am here because I think that as information, as a news operator, we have to back this mission to try to break the siege in Gaza and break also the wall of silence that in Europe we see about Gaza," Mantovani stated.

He criticized the weak response of European governments, noting that this stance encourages Israel towards further escalation. Mantovani described the atmosphere aboard the flotilla as being "like a public demonstration in the middle of the sea," and despite technical setbacks, he praised the morale of the participants. He also highlighted the exhaustion faced by those who set sail from Barcelona and Sicily due to longer journeys.

Following the Israeli 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 reported that 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.