Las miradas del mundo convergen sobre la Flotilla Global Sumud, que avanza desarmada hacia las aguas territoriales de Gaza para consignar ayuda a los palestinos. Siguen navegando 44 barcos que llevan a bordo alrededor de 630 personas, entre ellos varios parlamentarios italianos y figuras como la sueca Greta Thunberg y un nieto de Nelson Mandela.

La ansiedad crece, mientras se activan todos los sistemas de comunicaciones y algunos de los viajeros confiesan que no duermen de noche. «Tememos que nos vuelvan a atacar como hace cinco días, lo que obligó a retirarse a nuestro barco principal”.

La más grande de las dos naves de guerra italianas que siguen a la Flotilla le hará de escolta hasta las 120 millas marítimas de distancia de Gaza. Después se retirará y la Flotilla quedará completamente a merced de los militares israelíes.

El ministro de Defensa, Guido Crosetto, dijo que “doy por descontado que los activistas serán arrestados”. “Pondría la firma para que suceda solo esto, sin ningún tipo de consecuencias.”

En uno de sus últimos posteos en la cuenta oficial de Instagram, la Flotilla marcó su ubicación y reclamó «un paso seguro».

«El fracaso de los gobiernos ha obligado a la ciudadanía a asumir riesgos extraordinarios simplemente para cumplir con sus obligaciones legales y morales: entregar ayuda humanitaria y abrir un corredor marítimo tan necesario. El asedio mortífero impuesto a Gaza desde 2007 ha devastado todos los ámbitos de la vida. Hoy, la situación es catastrófica. Como mínimo, los gobiernos deben exigir un paso seguro para esta misión legal y, sobre todo, vital», escribieron.

Uno de los viajeros confiesa al “Corriere della Sera” en una comunicación que “tengo una ‘fifa’ (miedo) negra. El ataque con los drones israelíes el 23 de septiembre fue espantoso y estamos ahora por pasar la llamada línea de riesgo. Soy un no violento».

El activista pilotea el barco a vela Morgana que hospeda también al senador Marco Moratti y la europarlamentaria de Verdes e Izquierda, Benedetta Scuderi.

Los que dialogan con la prensa no niegan que algunos han partido de regreso, pero se dan ánimo para seguir. El lunes comenzaron a practicar simulaciones de los escenarios que podrían enfrentar.

En 2010, en la “zona de riesgo” a más de cien millas de las aguas territoriales, soldados israelíes atacaron una Flotilla que transportaba también vituallas para los palestinos de Gaza. Diez voluntarios que estaban en la nave principal murieron y nueve soldados de Israel resultaron heridos.

Irene Soldatti, de 40 años, de Bolonia, que navega en la nave “Aurora”, uno de los barcos más grandes, dijo a la prensa que “queremos encender una mecha de paz, no de guerra”. “Lo único que tenemos es el cuerpo”.

La variante más tranquilizadora es que una vez capturados, los que viajan en la Flotilla serán arrestados y procesados.

La intervención israelí se produciría entre las 100 y 120 millas náuticas (entre 185 y 222 km) de las aguas territoriales.

Nadie confirma nada, pero la primera ministra Giorgia Meloni habló por teléfono del tema al presidente Donald Trump y le pidió su colaboración para evitar un final sangriento.

“Debemos asegurarnos que no haya consecuencias letales”, insistió el ministro de Defensa Guido Crosetto, que recibió a representantes del Movimiento Global en Gaza.

También se habría pedido una intervención al presidente de Israel, Isaac Herzog, amigo de Italia que estuvo hace poco en Roma por una entrevista con el Papa.

También el pontífice está moviendo los hilos diplomáticos de la Iglesia para convencer a los israelíes de asegurarse que no haya víctimas cuando los soldados israelíes asalten los barcos. Se espera una intervención pública de León XIV en cualquier momento para evitar un choque sangriento.

El lunes, 18 parlamentarios de Estados Unidos pidieron a su gobierno que garantice la seguridad de los civiles a bordo de la Global Sumud Flotilla. Es el nombre internacional de la Flotilla. La palabra “Sumud” significa resistencia, resiliencia.

“La amenaza de violencia por parte de Israel planea sobre el viaje”, señala el mensaje de los parlamentarios de Estados Unidos.

Los 18 legisladores norteamericanos revelaron que a bordo de las naves de la flotilla viajan 24 ciudadanos estadounidenses.

La Flotilla informó este martes que se aproxima a la zona de alto riesgo “donde anteriormente se interceptaron otras flotillas”.

“En este punto, la vigilancia y la solidaridad internacionales son más necesarias que nunca”.

Israel’s top diplomat at the United Nations dismissed delegates who walked out before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address and blasted the international body for holding key Middle East talks during a Jewish holiday, leaving Jerusalem’s delegation without representation.

«It was a staged walkout. Most of the people were not diplomats. They were staffers from hostile missions,» Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told Fox News Digital. 

He noted that Netanyahu was the first speaker of the day, meaning the diplomats who stormed out of the hall arrived only to participate in the walkout. 

«I told them, ‘get out and don’t come back,’ and I meant it. If they cannot listen to the words of the prime minister representing Israel and the Jewish people, I don’t think they have a place in this hall,» he said.

UN DELEGATES WALK OUT OF NETANYAHU ADDRESS AFTER CHEERING PALESTINIAN LEADER DAY BEFORE

Danon added that most delegations stayed in the room and respected both Netanyahu and the state of Israel.

Netanyahu may have been speaking to a smaller audience within the hall, but his address was broadcast on speakers in Gaza and on Gazans’ cell phones, something the prime minister revealed while on stage. Danon said that the prime minister would often consider how to carry the message and the «brilliant idea» of broadcasting it so that the Palestinians could hear his speech was an extension of that.

Danon told Fox News Digital that Netanyahu’s address was not directed at Hamas leaders, who, he argued, «don’t care» and only understand the language of tanks and aircraft. Instead, he said, the message was meant for the people of Gaza and for the hostages who have been languishing in the enclave for nearly two years.

Danon also lamented that the U.N. scheduled key talks on the Middle East during the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

«They had a discussion about the Middle East, about Israel, without Israel. I think it shows the hypocrisy of the United Nations,» Danon told Fox News Digital. «Some leaders care more about hearing themselves rather than actually rewarding a dialogue.»

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the 80th session of The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Sept. 26, 2025, in New York City. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

ISRAEL CALLS UN PUSH FOR PALESTINE STATEHOOD A ‘CHARADE,’ WARNS OF ‘CONSEQUENCES’ FOR RECOGNITION MOVES

Danon said that he spoke to the head of the U.N. Security Council about rescheduling the discussion but was not successful in getting the date changed. It is unclear which delegation was at the helm of the council, as it rotates monthly.

While Israel was not able to participate in talks during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it remained one of the central issues of the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly. Israel also faced pressure outside official U.N. discussions, with several delegations moving to recognize a Palestinian state.

Danon dismissed the declarations of France, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada recognizing Palestinian statehood as «empty.»

«We spoke with many delegations. Without naming names, we had successes that a few countries did not join this circus, those empty declarations, and we are grateful for that,» Danon said. He added that he believes «overall everybody knows that it’s not going anywhere.»

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon speaks to members of the media before the U.N. Security Council meeting on Oct. 2, 2024.  (REUTERS/Stephani Spindel)

NETANYAHU BROADCASTS UNITED NATIONS MESSAGE INTO GAZA ACCUSING WORLD LEADERS OF APPEASING ‘EVIL’

When asked why some delegations were so intent on recognition, he chalked it up to leaders needing domestic wins and using the Middle East conflict to galvanize supporters.

«I think they have domestic interests. Take, for example, President Macron. He has so many domestic problems and issues with the economy, with immigration, with the parliament. So, it’s easier for him to come to the U.N. and to pretend that he’s actually leading something. He knows better than that,» Danon said.

President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House as the pair looked to reach a peace deal in the Gaza war. ( Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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On Monday, after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Netanyahu accepted a U.S.-backed Gaza deal to end the nearly two-year-long war. French President Emmanuel Macron, who recognized a Palestinian state last week, said that he welcomed the plan and expected Israel to «engage resolutely on this basis.» He added that «Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan.»

It remains to be seen whether Hamas will accept the deal and, if it does, whether it will stick to the terms.

The Trump administration on Monday said it has started a new process to block Harvard University’s eligibility for federal grant money and its ability to enter into new federal contracts — yet another salvo from Trump officials as they continue to target the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university. 

The Department of Health and Human Services notified Harvard President Alan Garber in a letter Monday that it has initiated the debarment process for the university — a move that would render the school ineligible to receive federal grant money or enter into new federal contracts.

HHS officials cited allegations of antisemitism brought against the university and what Trump officials argued is the school’s failure to comply with recommendations from a federal antisemitism task force earlier this year.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ATTEMPT TO FREEZE MORE THAN $2 BILLION IN HARVARD FUNDS

The familiar refrain has been at the center of a months-long legal fight between Trump officials and Harvard lawyers, who sparred over efforts to comply with recommendations from a federal task force earlier this year.

Trump officials have argued the school has not done enough to comply with the task force recommendations; Harvard has countered that the effort amounts to an unconstitutional «pressure campaign» from the administration to influence and exert control over its academic programs.

It’s unclear how long the debarment process will take, and these efforts are often preceded by a shorter-term period of suspension, according to data from HHS’s Office for Civil Rights.

Still, if successful, the effort could threaten billions of dollars in funding for Harvard at an already vulnerable time for the university. 

The debarment process, if successful, could eventually «blacklist» Harvard from doing business with the government in any capacity — including blocking its ability to accept billions in federal research funds and to sign new contracts with federal agencies.

CONTINUED COURT FIGHTS COULD PUT HARVARD IN UNWINNABLE POSITION VS TRUMP

Graduates celebrate during Harvard University’s 374th commencement ceremony on May 29, 2025.  (Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Harvard’s lawyers have reportedly struggled to negotiate with the Trump administration in ongoing settlement talks, weeks after a judge in Boston sided with Harvard and ordered the administration to restore billions in funding to the school.

The news comes just weeks after a federal judge in Boston sided with Harvard in ruling that the Trump administration had acted illegally in freezing more than $2.2 billion in federal research funding that had been allocated to Harvard. 

In an 84-page summary judgment earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs rejected the Trump administration’s assertion that it was attempting to strip Harvard of billions in federal funding due to allegations of antisemitism, or the university’s failure to comply with the recommendations of a federal antisemitism task force. 

«A review of the administrative record makes it difficult to conclude anything other than that defendants used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities,» Burroughs said in her decision.

HARVARD PRESIDENT SAYS HE HAS ‘NO CHOICE’ BUT TO FIGHT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Hundreds of graduates walk out of Harvard’s 2024 commencement in Harvard Yard to call attention to the plight of Palestinians on May 23, 2024, in Cambridge, Mass. (Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Harvard lawyers sued the Trump administration in April over its attempts to freeze billions in federal funding and block other grant money — which they argued in court amounts to an unconstitutional «pressure campaign» designed to influence and exert control over its academic programs.

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The New York Times reported that the Trump administration is likely to appeal the ruling, though the time frame for the appeal and the next steps for challenging the summary judgment remain unclear.