Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the release of the three activists, who were part of an international convoy seeking to transport humanitarian supplies, including medicine and temporary housing units, to the Gaza Strip.

According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, the group was among approximately 230 activists from multiple countries involved in the overland mission. The organization said the three Italians had crossed into neighboring Tunisia following their release and were accompanied by a Tunisian activist who had also been detained.

The activists were identified by Tajani as Domenico Centrone, Leonarda Alberizia and Matias Alvarez Rodriguez, an Italian citizen born in Uruguay.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said another six detainees were expected to be released within the next 24 hours. The organization alleged that those held had been subjected to arbitrary detention, communication restrictions and sustained psychological pressure during their confinement.

The detentions occurred amid growing international attention on activist-led efforts to challenge restrictions on access to Gaza, where humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of shortages of food, medicine and essential supplies following months of conflict.

Israel maintains control over access points into Gaza and has enforced a blockade on the territory since 2007. During the war, aid deliveries have faced repeated disruptions, intensifying concerns among international humanitarian organizations.

The release comes weeks after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the treatment of activists detained during previous Gaza-related missions. Her comments followed the circulation of video footage posted by an Israeli minister showing detained activists bound and kneeling, images that drew criticism from several governments, including Australia, Canada and Spain.

The Global Sumud Flotilla has organized a series of maritime and overland initiatives intended to deliver assistance to Gaza. Last month, around 50 vessels departed from Türkiye as part of a renewed effort to reach the enclave after earlier missions were intercepted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the flotilla campaign, describing it as an operation designed to assist Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs Gaza.

Previous attempts by activists to reach Gaza have encountered repeated obstacles. In April, a flotilla operating in international waters near Greece was intercepted, and most participants were subsequently returned to Europe.

The circumstances surrounding the detention of the activists in Libya have not been publicly detailed by Libyan authorities.