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Israeli forces on Wednesday intercepted a new Gaza-bound aid flotilla, days after thwarting another maritime convoy that had tried to break an Israeli blockade on the war-battered Palestinian territory.The Global Sumud Flotilla first reported that three of its vessels had been "attacked and illegally intercepted by the Israeli military" in the early morning, 220 kilometres off the coast of Gaza.It later said all nine of the flotilla's vessels had been intercepted, including the Conscience, adding it was carrying more than 90 journalists, doctors and activists.Israel has blocked several international aid flotillas in recent months from reaching Gaza, where the UN says famine has set in after two years of devastating conflict.As the war drags on, solidarity with the Palestinians has grown globally, with activists, protesters across the world and increasingly governments condemning Israel for its conduct.Israel confirmed on Wednesday it had intercepted boats entering waters it says fall under its blockade of Gaza.The pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition said the boats were carrying "vital aid worth over $110,000... in medicines, respiratory equipment, and nutritional supplies that were destined for Gaza's starving hospitals".Turkey's foreign ministry accused Israel of carrying out an "act of piracy", describing the intervention against the flotilla as "an attack on civil activists, including Turkish citizens and members of parliament".Israeli authorities detained Belgian rapper Youssef Swatt's aboard one of the boats, his lawyers said.Last week Israeli naval forces stopped another flotilla of 45 vessels from the Global Sumud campaign that was carrying politicians and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.The move drew mass protests across Europe.Israel expelled Thunberg and scores of fellow campaigners on Monday, many of whom complained of mistreatment at the hands of the Israeli authorities.

Flotilla activists deported from Israel arrive in IstanbulIsrael detained around 450 activists from Gaza aid flotilla36 activists from Turkey, 26 Italians on flight to IstanbulActivists complain of treatment, Israel denies allegationsSome 137 activists detained by Israel for taking part in a flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza arrived in Istanbul on Saturday after being deported, according to Reuters reporters at the airport.The individuals included 36 Turkish nationals, as well as citizens from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Jordan, ministry sources added.The Turkish Airlines flight landed at Istanbul Airport.Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italians were on board, with another 15 still held in Israel and set to be expelled over the next few days - along with activists from other nations.Israel has faced international condemnation after its military intercepted all of about 40 boats in a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza and detained more than 450 activists."I have once again given instructions to the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure that the remaining compatriots are treated with respect for their rights", Tajani wrote on X.A first group of Italians from the flotilla - four parliamentarians - arrived in Rome on Friday."Those who were acting legally were the people aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza", Arturo Scotto, one of the Italian lawmakers who took part in the mission, told a press conference in Rome."We were brutally stopped ... brutally taken hostage", said Benedetta Scuderi, another Italian parliamentarian.Israel's foreign ministry wrote on X that all detained activists were "safe and in good health", adding it was keen to complete the deportations "as quickly as possible".According to Adalah, an Israeli group offering legal assistance to flotilla members, some of them were denied access to lawyers, and denied access to water and medications, as well as the use of toilets.Activists were also "forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours, after some participants chanted 'Free Palestine,'" Adalah said.The flotilla, which set sail in late August, marked the latest attempt by activists to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, where Israel has been waging a war since Palestinian militant group Hamas' deadly attack on Israel in October 2023.

300,000 people marched in Rome, organisers sayPro-flotilla protests particularly widespread in ItalyMore protests expected on Saturday Hundreds of thousands of Italians took to the streets across the country on Friday, as part of a day-long general strike called by unions in support of an aid flotilla carrying food to Gaza that was intercepted by Israel this week. "After what I saw with the flotilla, I thought I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. It's the first time I go to these kind of demonstrations," Mario Mascetti, a protester in Rome, told Reuters. The CGIL and USB trade unions staged demonstrations in more than 100 cities. In the capital, crowds marched from the central Piazza Vittorio towards the main train station, holding union and Palestinian flags, as well as banners. The strike caused delays and cancellations across Italy's rail network, with more limited disruptions at airports. Metro lines continued operating in both Rome and Milan. Motorways or ring roads were blocked by protesters around several cities including Rome, Milan, Bologna and Trento, with police firing tear gas outside Milan to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators. The Tuscan port of Livorno was closed by protests. "This is not just any strike. We're here today to defend brotherhood among individuals, among peoples, to put humanity back at the centre, to say no to genocide, to a policy of rearmament," CGIL leader Maurizio Landini said. Some 300,000 people took part in the Rome march, according to the organisers. They estimated crowds of more than 100,000 in Milan, 50,000 in Naples, 25,000 in Venice and a total of 150,000 in various cities in Sicily. Authorities have not confirmed the figures. Italy's right-wing government has criticised the strike, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people skipping work for Gaza was just an excuse to have a longer weekend break. Protests in solidarity with the humanitarian convoy that was trying to break Israel's naval blockade have sprung up all over Europe and other parts of the world, but have been particularly widespread in Italy. Mattia Diletti, a sociologist at Rome's Sapienza University, said the Palestinian cause had always resonated in Italy, both amongst its centrist Catholic and leftist political traditions. "Italy has always been a very political country, characterised by this (pro-Palestinian) element," he said. The national strike watchdog said on Thursday that the unions had broken rules by not giving enough advance notice for the strike, but the CGIL and USB went ahead anyway, attracting more criticism from the government. "If today those who strike illegally cause billions of euros worth of damage to the Italian economy ... then sanctions must be proportionate to the damage caused," Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said. Pro-Palestinian protests were due to continue on Saturday with a mass rally in Rome, capping off several days of demonstrations that have sometimes turned violent and sparked clashes with police. On Thursday night, tens of thousands of people marched peacefully from Rome's Colosseum, while in Turin a conference centre was vandalised and in Milan a statue outside the Duomo cathedral was daubed with red paint and graffiti.

Israeli navy intercepts last boat in Gaza aid flotillaBut new flotilla now on its wayIsraeli foreign ministry says four Italians deported, others in process of being deportedTens of Italians demonstrate in solidarity with flotillaFar-right minister describes activists as 'terrorists'The Israeli military intercepted the last boat in an aid flotilla attempting to reach blockaded Gaza on Friday, a day after stopping most of the vessels and detaining some 450 activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.The organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said the Marinette was intercepted some 42.5 nautical miles (79 km) from Gaza. Israeli army radio said the navy had taken control of the last ship in the flotilla, detained those aboard and that the vessel was being led to Ashdod port in Israel.In a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli naval forces had now "illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels-each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel's illegal siege on Gaza".However, in another attempt to challenge Israel's naval blockade, a new flotilla comprising 11 vessels was attempting to make its way to Gaza on Friday, organisers said, including a vessel carrying medics and journalists.A live-tracker shared by the organisers showed the boats sailing southeast in the Mediterranean between the Greek island of Crete and Egypt, while live footage from one of the boats showed activists chanting for a "Free Palestine".A camera broadcasting from the Marinette showed someone holding up a note saying "We see a ship! It's a war ship", before a boat is seen approaching and soldiers boarding. A voice is heard telling the people on board not to move and to put their hands in the air.An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the boat's status. The flotilla, which set sail in late August, marked the latest attempt by activists to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of the territory.Israeli foreign ministry had said the flotilla was previously warned that it was approaching an active combat zone and violating a "lawful naval blockade", and asked organisers to change course. It had offered to transfer aid to Gaza. The Israeli foreign ministry on Friday said that four Italians had been deported. "The rest are in the process of being deported. Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible," it said in a statement. All the flotilla participants were "safe and in good health", it added.The Italian government identified the four Italians as parliamentarians who would fly back to Rome on Friday.Pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets in cities across Europe as well as in Karachi, Buenos Aires and Mexico City on Thursday to protest the flotilla's interception.On Friday, tens of thousands of Italians demonstrated, as part of a day-long general strike called by unions in support of the flotilla.During a visit to Ashdod on Thursday night, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was filmed calling the activists "terrorists" as he stood in front of them."These are the terrorists of the flotilla," he said, speaking in Hebrew and pointing at dozens of people sitting on the ground. His spokesperson confirmed the video was filmed at Ashdod port on Thursday night.Some activists are heard shouting "Free Palestine".Cyprus said one of the flotilla boats had docked in Cyprus with 21 foreigners aboard. Crew from the vessel, "Summer Time", said it was an observer mission carrying doctors and journalists."Nobody has the right to be a pirate of the sea and enforce whatever they want to do and I think we are equal," Palestinian crew member Osama Qashoo told journalists.Israel faced international condemnation and protest after it intercepted all of the 40 or so boats in the flotilla and detained more than 450 activists from different countries.Israel has faced widespread global condemnation over the war in Gaza, and is defending itself against charges of genocide in the International Court of Justice.