Israel ministers probed in Rome over assault on Gaza Flotilla

(ANSA) - ROME, 16 OTT - Two Israeli ministers are among those placed under investigation by Rome prosecutors Friday in a probe into the Israeli assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla for Gaza in May, judicial sources said. The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has placed about a dozen individuals under investigation in connection with the mission of the "Global Sumud Flotilla," they said. The proceedings target members of the Israeli chain of command. In addition to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Defence Minister Israel Katz has also been named in the investigation. The actions of Ben Gvir in particular spurred outrage in Italy and led to Rome summoning the Israeli ambassador to protest about them. The minister was shown in a video posted from the port of Ashdod taunting Italian activists detained from the Global Sumud Flotilla for Gaza who had been handcuffed, blindfolded and forced to kneel in front of him with their faces to the ground, an incident in which the Israeli minister had reached the "lowest" level, President Sergio Mattarella said. The investigation targets Israel’s entire chain of command, including the two government ministers, with charges ranging from torture to kidnapping. They are accused of naval boarding operations carried out in violation of international law, poor detention conditions, degrading treatment, and a failure to uphold basic rights and the right to a legal defence. The probe regards another mission as well as the May one. (ANSA).
Read article...