The two Italians whose traces were lost after being blocked by the Flotilla would be in Benghazi, Libya. According to news agencies, Domenico Centrone and Leonarda Alberizia have been transferred to the Libyan city and are being treated by the authorities as possible illegal immigrants. The group of activists, engaged in the “land” mission towards the Strip, was intercepted by militiamen while trying to reach Gaza through Cyrenaica.
Tajani: “Today from the judge”
The news was confirmed by the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani: “The two Italian activists are in Benghazi and should go before the judge today, so I hope that the judge decides to let them return to Italy”. “We are talking to our interlocution in Benghazi,” Tajani added, speaking to reporters in Rome. I hope they can expel them as soon as possible, so they can return home. The judge should, I hope, decide to let them return to Italy and it would be better if they expelled them. The Libyan situation is not simple”. The two Italians are awaiting trial: according to the local authorities they will be treated as illegal immigrants for having entered the region without a “security permit”.
The Flotilla blocked in Libya
Domenico Centrone, a teacher from Molfetta (Bari), and Leonarda Alberizia were participating in the international humanitarian mission of the Land Convoy, headed towards the Gaza Strip, in Palestine. Contact with them was lost yesterday afternoon, after they crossed the border between western Libya and eastern Libya (Cyrenaica), the latter led by the government of General Haftar. The convoy, made up of 250 people from different countries, vehicles, mobile homes, consumer goods and an ambulance, after 8 days of waiting in Sirte and fruitless negotiations, had decided to move towards the eastern part. An advance delegation, made up of a couple of vehicles and about ten activists of different nationalities (Italy, Spain, Uruguay, Argentina, Poland, United States, Portugal, Canada), crossed the border to start a direct negotiation.
The passage from Cyrenaica
According to what was reported yesterday during an Instagram live broadcast by another Italian activist, Sara Suriano, from Andria, who remained in the rear area with the largest part of the convoy for reasons of prudence, the leading group would not have entered Cyrenaica independently, but would have been invited by the authorities to proceed beyond the border. Here the ten activists were stopped by Haftar’s Libyan militias, to whom they handed over their passports. Immediately after the first reassurances sent to mission companions, contact was lost. The Farnesina and the consulate have already taken action and checks are still underway.
The “land” mission towards Gaza
The convoy had been stopped for eight days in Sirte, in the ‘No weapons zone’, the last neutral part before eastern Libya, which is separated from western Libya due to the civil war. The mission that is crossing North Africa was born from a collaboration between Global Sumud Flotilla, through which many Italians participate, and Maghreb Sumud, with North African traction. There are 20 vehicles following, including a Red Crescent ambulance. The majority of the mission is made up of activists from the countries of the wider Maghreb, while Europeans and participants from other continents represent a minority.