Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Rome to the Foreign Ministry Thursday evening to protest against the support that the government of Premier Giorgia Meloni is giving to Israel.

The protesters waved Palestinian flags and held up signs saying “Stop the Genocide.”

But the main reason for their protest was the Italian government’s decision to pressure the Global Sumud Flotilla, a group of dozens of boats carrying activists with humanitarian aid seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, to leave their aid in Cyprus.

The governments of Spain and Italy have said they are sending navy ships to where a flotilla of dozens of boats is sailing south of Greece.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said Wednesday it was targeted by drones and communications jamming, with several explosions occurring on or near some of the boats.

Some of the vessels were damaged, but no injuries were reported. Organizers say the flotilla includes 52 mostly small vessels carrying activists from dozens of countries, among them 58 Italians, including members of parliament.

They are carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

“We are here once again because Israel attacked the Flotilla and had the arrogance to define us as “terrorists.” Someone who brings humanitarian aid is not a terrorist,” said Giorgina Levi, one of the protest leaders, “Facing all of this, the Italian government not only is silent but then asks that the aid goes to Cyprus. We are speaking clearly, that aid has to go to Gaza.”

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto condemned the drone attack on civilian boats as “totally unacceptable” during a parliamentary address Thursday.

In New York at the U.N.General Assembly, Meloni said Italy will not recognize the Palestinian state until Hamas releases all of the hostages and there are guarantees the group will have no role in a future government.

AP Video by Trisha Thomas