Milan – Demonstrators from the groups Ultima Generazione (Last Generation) and Palestina Libera (Free Palestine) unfurled a banner reading “Break the siege” and threw red paint at the entrance of the Egyptian consulate in Milan after 6 PM today. They also affixed photos of Palestinians killed in Israeli military operations to the consulate fence.
The protest concluded with eight activists being taken to the police station for questioning. Ultima Generazione stated the action was organized to demand the Egyptian government, represented by Consul Hisham Mohamed Moustafa El Sherif, “immediately open the Rafah crossing” to allow aid into the Gaza Strip. The group’s communique emphasized that the Palestinian population, “trapped in the Gaza Strip, has been facing a severe humanitarian crisis for months,” devastated by bombardment and famine.
“The crossing is currently only opened temporarily,” the group’s statement continued. It further cited Human Rights Watch documentation alleging that “bribes demanded by Egyptian border authorities” are the sole means for people to leave the Gaza Strip.