Gaza Aid Convoy Ambushed: Ten International Activists Detained by Libyan Militia, Whereabouts Unknown

Ten international 'activists' attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by land have been detained by forces loyal to Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, with their exact location and condition still unclear days after contact was lost.

The Global Sumud Land Convoy launched on May 15, carrying seven ambulances, 20 mobile homes, ten aid trucks, and over 200 participants from more than 25 countries, including medical professionals, engineers, educators, and legal observers. The convoy's route ran overland through North Africa, aiming to reach Gaza via Egypt.

After crossing western Libya, the convoy was blocked for eight consecutive days near Sirte, within the so-called "no weapon zone," the contested strip of territory separating the two rival Libyan governments. Although the organization had been in contact with eastern Libyan authorities for months and received initial guarantees of passage, mediation negotiations conducted by the Red Crescent came to an abrupt end.

On Sunday May 24, the situation deteriorated sharply. The convoy attempted to advance toward Sirte but was met by the 604th Brigade, a militia loyal to Haftar, which deployed armed vehicles and snipers. A small advance delegation then broke away from the main group in an attempt to negotiate directly and break the deadlock.

Last contact with the activists was made at 3:22 p.m. on Tuesday. The detained include civilians from Spain, Poland, the United States, Argentina, Uruguay, Portugal, Tunisia, and Italy, among them doctors and human rights defenders.

Two Italian citizens, Domenico Centrone from Puglia and Leonarda Alberizia from Piedmont, were among those detained, allegedly on charges of illegal entry. Both were subsequently transferred to Benghazi, in the hands of Libyan militiamen affiliated with Haftar.

The broader convoy camp was also attacked. Activists described being violently beaten and forcibly dragged onto buses by forces loyal to Haftar, with unidentified vehicles crashing into tents set up by those still at the checkpoint near Sirte. Many of the remaining activists have since been deported, with some returning to Italy.

The convoy organization says the detention has no legal basis, describing the detained as unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission. They say two formal attempts at negotiation had previously been made: the first ended with promises of a follow-up meeting that never materialized, and the second with a military official ordering convoy delegates to leave immediately.

Consular efforts are underway, with Italy among the governments that have been contacted. The situation remains unresolved and is a developing story.