File Photo: Protesters hold the edges of a large Palestinian flag during a demonstration called by Italian opposition parties in support of Palestinians in Gaza, in Rome. AFP
The move was made by the city hall of Ravenna, the Adriatic port controlled by the centre-left Democratic Party -- an opposition group against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government.
"Thanks to courageous dockers, we were informed last night of the scheduled arrival today of two containers at the Ravenna port", listed as explosives, Mayor Alessandro Barattoni said in a statement.
Ravenna, along with provincial leaders and the regional Emilia-Romagna government, is a shareholder in the port, which allowed them to block the shipment.
"You must choose a side, and Emilia-Romagna and Ravenna know perfectly which: the one of innocent victims and hostages, and not the one of criminal governments and terrorist organisations," the regional leaders said in a statement.
PM Meloni has expressed "deep concern" over Israel's plan to occupy Gaza City, but refuses to recognise Palestinian statehood as other European countries such as France and Spain have.
Israel's two-year-old genocidal war on Gaza and famine spreading across the strip have sparked outrage in Italy and globally.
Israel’s carpet bombing of Gaza has killed at least 65,000 people and injured more than 165,000 others, and destroyed most of the strip.
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