An appeal to avoid “endangering the safety of every person,” while safeguarding the goal of “delivering the collected aid to the suffering population” in Gaza. Italian President Sergio Mattarella writes “to the women and men of the Flotilla”, he describes their initiative as being of “value” and one can sense admiration and solidarity in his words.

«The value of human life, which seems to have lost its meaning in Gaza, where it is severely trodden upon with inhuman suffering for the population, makes it imperative to avoid jeopardising the safety of each individual person».

«To this end and in order to guarantee the value of the initiative under way – a value that has been broadly echoed and recognised – it is necessary to safeguard the goal of delivering aid supplies to the suffering population».

«Allow me to address – with genuine intensity – an appeal to the women and men aboard the Flotilla to accept the offer of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem – which is also firmly and courageously committed to supporting the people in Gaza – to carry out the safe delivery of the supplies that this effort of solidarity has collected for the children, women and men in Gaza».

For days, Italian Presidency had been watching with concern the Flotilla’s intention to break the naval blockade. There were contacts with the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Matteo Zuppi, who, even today in la Repubblica, reiterated the proposal of a channel for aid through Cyprus.

Israel said it backed the idea, but the flotillarejected it.