Flotilla organisers reported on Thursday that Israeli forces had intercepted 14 vessels carrying foreign activists and humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, but, the flotilla’s tracking system indicates that 23 other boats are still navigating toward the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave.

A video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters showed the most prominent of the flotilla’s passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers.
“Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port,” the Israeli foreign ministry said on X. “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”

The Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising over 40 civilian vessels, is sailing to Gaza carrying essential aid, including medicine and food. Aboard the ships are approximately 500 people, including parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists, Reuters reported.

The organisers posted several videos on Telegram featuring messages from the individuals aboard the intercepted boats. In these clips, some activists, holding up their passports, claimed they were forcibly abducted and taken to Israel against their will, while consistently reiterating that their mission was solely a non-violent, humanitarian endeavour.
The flotilla’s transit across the Mediterranean Sea attracted global attention, prompting countries like Turkey, Spain, and Italy to dispatch boats or drones as a precaution for their citizens aboard. This high-profile voyage occurred despite repeated warnings from Israel demanding that the vessels turn back.
Turkey’s foreign ministry called Israel’s “attack” on the flotilla “an act of terror” that endangered the lives of innocent civilians.
Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu news agency reported that the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office had initiated an investigation regarding the detention of 24 Turkish citizens who were aboard the flotilla vessels. The charges being investigated include deprivation of liberty, seizure of transport vehicles, and damage to property.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel’s entire diplomatic delegation on Wednesday following the detention of two Colombians in the flotilla. Israel has not had an ambassador in Colombia since last year.
Petro called the detentions a potential “new international crime” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and demanded the release of the Colombians. He also terminated Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday condemned Israel’s interception of the flotilla, adding Israeli forces had detained eight Malaysians.
“By blocking a humanitarian mission, Israel has shown utter contempt not only for the rights of the Palestinian people but also for the conscience of the world,” Anwar, whose country is predominantly Muslim, said in a statement.
Israel’s interception of the flotilla sparked protests in Italy and Colombia. Italian unions called a general strike for Friday in solidarity with the international aid flotilla.
Israel’s navy had previously warned the flotilla it was approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful blockade, and asked organisers to change course. It had offered to transfer any aid peacefully through safe channels to Gaza.

23 BOATS SAILING TOWARDS GAZA

According to Reuters, the flotilla is the latest sea-borne attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, much of which has been turned into a wasteland by almost two years of war.
The flotilla’s organisers denounced Israel’s action as a “war crime.” They said the military used aggressive tactics, including the use of water cannon, but that no one was harmed.
“Multiple vessels … were illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli Occupation Forces in international waters,” the organisers said in a statement.
The interception occurred approximately 70 nautical miles from the war-ravaged enclave, well within the maritime zone that Israel monitors to prevent any vessels from approaching. The organisers also reported that their communications, including live camera feeds from some of the vessels, had been actively scrambled.
“These are repeated acts of piracy in violation of international law and the law of the sea,” March to Gaza Greece, a member of the flotilla, said on Thursday.
“The Greek government has a responsibility to guarantee the safety of the crews and to take all necessary action to protect the Greek men and women on board.”
According to the flotilla’s ship tracking data, 23 boats were still sailing towards Gaza.
The flotilla had hoped to arrive in Gaza on Thursday morning if it was not intercepted.
Israeli officials have repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt.
“This systematic refusal (to hand over the aid) demonstrates that the objective is not humanitarian, but provocative,” Jonathan Peled, the Israeli ambassador to Italy, said in a post on X.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007 and there have been several previous attempts by activists to deliver aid by sea.
In 2010, nine activists were killed after Israeli soldiers boarded a flotilla of six ships manned by 700 pro-Palestinian activists from 50 countries.
Earlier this year, in June, Israeli naval forces detained activist Greta Thunberg and 11 crew members. The group was aboard a small vessel organised by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition as they attempted to approach Gaza.
The Israeli offensive in Gaza began following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. According to Israeli tallies, this initial attack killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 individuals being taken hostage into Gaza. Since then, the offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 65,000 people in Gaza, according to Gaza health authorities.