Italy opens a judicial investigation against Israel over the kidnapping of the activists of the Al-Samoud Flotilla

Italian media announced on Monday that the prosecutor's office in Rome has opened an official investigation into the case of "kidnapping of people" during their participation in the "Freedom Flotilla" heading to break the siege on the Gaza Strip.

Italian media said that the lawsuit comes against the backdrop of three lawsuits filed after the Israeli occupation forces intercepted ships belonging to the "Steadfastness Flotilla" heading to Gaza last Thursday.

The kidnapping charge revolves around the arrest of Spanish activist Seif Abukchak and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, who were on board an Italian-flagged vessel when it was intercepted in international waters.

Despite international pressure, an Israeli court on Sunday ordered the activists' detention to be extended for two more days.

These legal moves come after the arrest of about 175 activists of different nationalities who were on board 20 ships aimed at breaking the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and delivering humanitarian aid.

The arrest took place in international waters off the Greek island of Crete, hundreds of kilometers from Gaza, prompting several countries to denounce the operation as "illegal" due to its location in international waters far from the Israeli coast, despite the occupation's claim that the interception was "peaceful."

Israel arrests 175 activists and seizes 20 ships

Last Thursday, the Israeli navy in international waters seized 20 ships as part of the "Global Steadfastness Flotilla" to break the blockade on the Gaza Strip, and arrested about 175 activists.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on the platform of the "X" company: About 175 activists from more than 20 ships of the flotilla are now heading to Israel, and according to the "Walla" website, the Israeli government decided to deter the participants in the flotilla, so it seized only 20 ships, and issued warnings to the rest.

He added that the commander of the Israeli navy, Maj. Gen. Eyal Harel, will assess the situation and present his recommendations in the coming hours, and that the military intelligence service "Aman" and the Foreign Ministry will participate in the operation.

The seizure of the ships took place in close proximity to the Greek islands, specifically about 45 nautical miles west of Crete, and appears to have been coordinated between the two sides.

Italy suspends renewal of military cooperation agreement with Israel

Italy announced on Tuesday the suspension of the automatic renewal of its defense agreement with Israel, which includes the exchange of military equipment and technology research, in light of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, news agencies reported.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on the sidelines of an event in Verona, according to the Italian news agency ANSA, that "due to the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel."

According to the agency, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto sent a letter to his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz informing him of the decision to suspend the memorandum of understanding between Italy and Israel, which came into force on April 13, 2016.

According to the agency, the memorandum provides for the establishment of a framework for cooperation in the defense sector, which includes the exchange of military materials and technology research between the armed forces of the two countries, and is automatically renewed every five years.

Legal precedents and widespread arrests

The investigation is not the first of its kind, with the Rome prosecutor's office opening a similar investigation last October following an earlier attempt by the flotilla.

Repeating the 2025 scenario

This is the second attempt by the Global Resilience flotilla, as the year 2025 witnessed a similar journey that ended with the arrest of hundreds of activists, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and European MP Rima Hassan, who were forcibly transferred to Israel before being later deported to their countries.