Israeli military forces have detained approximately 175 humanitarian activists after intercepting their flotilla in Mediterranean waters near the Greek island of Crete, according to organizers of the aid mission bound for Gaza.
The Global Sumud Flotilla departed Barcelona earlier this month with plans for more than 70 vessels and 1,000 participants from around the globe to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade of the Palestinian territory. Additional ships were scheduled to join the convoy as it traveled eastward across the Mediterranean Sea.
According to vessel tracking data published by the activist organization, 22 boats were seized in international waters west of Crete by Thursday morning, while 36 others continued their journey. Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on social media platform X that it was transporting about 175 activists to Israel from more than 20 intercepted vessels.
The humanitarian group denounced the military action in a statement, saying: “Israel’s actions … mark a dangerous and unprecedented escalation, the abduction of civilians in the middle of the Mediterranean, over 600 miles from Gaza, in full view of the world.”
This marks the second consecutive year that Israeli authorities have thwarted the organization’s attempts to reach Gaza. Last year’s effort included Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg among those arrested, detained and eventually deported by Israeli forces.
Turkey’s foreign ministry strongly criticized the seizure on Thursday, labeling it “an act of piracy.” The ministry stated: “By targeting the Global Sumud Flotilla, whose mission is to draw attention to the humanitarian catastrophe faced by the innocent people of Gaza, Israel has also violated humanitarian principles and international law.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the maritime raid with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno by telephone, according to ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli.
Greek activists announced plans for a demonstration Thursday afternoon outside Athens’ foreign ministry building, criticizing both the Israeli interception and Greece’s failure to respond despite the seizure occurring within Greek search and rescue jurisdiction.
Israel and Egypt have maintained varying levels of restrictions on Gaza since Hamas took control from competing Palestinian factions in 2007. Israeli officials justify the blockade as necessary to prevent weapons imports by Hamas, while opponents argue it constitutes collective punishment of Gaza’s Palestinian residents.
A fragile ceasefire agreement, now six months old, has reduced the most severe combat between Israeli forces and Hamas-led fighters in the Palestinian enclave. However, Israeli military operations have resulted in more than 790 deaths during the ceasefire period, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The Hamas-controlled health ministry reports that 72,300 Palestinians have died since the conflict began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians.
Nearly 2 million Gaza residents continue living amid widespread destruction with severe shortages of food and medical supplies, receiving only limited humanitarian assistance through a single Israeli-controlled border crossing.
Flotilla coordinators expressed hope that their latest mission would draw international attention to Palestinian living conditions in Gaza, particularly as global focus has shifted toward conflicts involving the United States and Israel’s confrontation with Iran.
Last year’s blockade-breaking attempt involved dozens of vessels sailing near Gaza, with one crossing into territorial waters before all were ultimately intercepted, seized, or forced to retreat. Participants alleged mistreatment during Israeli detention, accusations that Israeli authorities rejected.
