With the Global Sumud Flotilla “we felt, we always feel”, “there is always hope, we must continue to see the possibilities. The appeal of the President of the Republic represents such a high invitation that recognizes great value and at the same time a concern and an adequate response must be found ».
The pressing of the President of the CEI, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (and not only him) continues, so that the flotilla accepts the mediation that would like to converge the boats of the Global Sumud on Cyprus where the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa would welcome them as a guarantor. An entirely “Italian” and excellent way also sponsored by the Head of State, Sergio Mattarella, an alternative to Tirar straight on Gaza to break the siege, supported by many – but not all – the members of the crew on a humanitarian mission.
The leader of the Democratic Party also opens, Elly Schlein: “We are not the organizers, there is an organizational committee and delegations from 44 countries – he says -. We can invite you to continue this dialogue on open roads to ensure that aid arrives and that continuing that dialogue also with the Latin patriarchate itself and we thank our deputies who are accompanying this mission as a media escort ».
Direct contacts between members of the Flotilla and Cardinal Zuppi as well as with the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem have been going on for days even with some internal distinctions. But after hours of intense consultation and contacts, the various members of this excellent front, to which the community of S.Egido has also been added (“the signal the flotilla gave it, now the aim is aid”, says the president Marco Passizzo) have compacted around the option of the release of the aid to Cyprus by activating the Humanitarian corridor Amalthea.
“Corridor for Gaza Amalthea” is an aid system that arises from an agreement between Cyprus, Israel, Arab Emirates, the European Union, the United States and Unops (UN). It is a “tested”, “safe” corridor, explain sources close to mediation, whose activation could first of all guarantee the safety of activists, then ensure the arrival of the aid to the population and also reassure Israel, which fears an underhabation of the Flotilla with Hamas: already at the port of Limassol, in fact, in Cyprus, the IDF would control the loads, sensitive objects.
Then, the actual maritime corridor would be activated from there, with the landing of the aid at the Israeli port of Ashdod for a new check and the final sending to the strip. The corridor was the result of an intense international collaboration that saw the Italian protagonists: it was successfully used on August 19 by the Misericordie d’Italia who, under the direction of the former commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie Domenico Giani, after months of blocking, reached the population.
“Objective concern”, say the sources involved in mediation, is for the safety of the crew members, Israel coming into contact with them could try a blitz to take command of the boats perhaps without “shooting” but with dissuasion actions. However, no one can exclude the accident. The interlocutions continue. More or less discreet negotiations are every moment in the field. Waiting for a turning point.