Organizers Say Israel Stops 13 Gaza-Bound Aid Boats, Drawing International Criticism
Organizers of the Gaza aid flotilla said Thursday that Israeli forces intercepted 13 boats carrying foreign activists and humanitarian supplies, even as 30 other vessels continued toward the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave.
A video released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, verified by Reuters, showed the flotilla’s most high-profile passenger, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, sitting on the deck surrounded by soldiers. The ministry posted on X: “Several Hamas–Sumud flotilla ships have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and well.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising more than 40 civilian boats with around 500 passengers—including parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists—set sail to deliver food and medicine to Gaza. On Telegram, the flotilla released videos of participants holding passports and claiming they had been “kidnapped” and taken to Israel against their will, while reiterating that their mission was strictly non-violent and humanitarian.
The flotilla, one of the most symbolic acts of defiance against Israel’s blockade of Gaza, drew worldwide attention as Turkey, Spain, and Italy deployed ships or drones to protect their citizens on board. Israel had repeatedly warned the flotilla to turn back, citing the blockade and the risks of entering an active war zone.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s actions as a “terrorist act” endangering innocent civilians. Colombian President Gustavo Petro went further, expelling Israel’s diplomatic mission after two Colombian citizens were detained, labeling the arrests a potential “new international crime” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and suspending Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also denounced the interception, saying eight Malaysian nationals were detained: “By halting a humanitarian mission, Israel has shown utter contempt not only for Palestinian rights but for the conscience of the world.”
Protests erupted in Italy and Colombia, with Italian unions calling a general strike in solidarity. Israeli officials defended their actions, insisting the flotilla’s true purpose was provocation rather than aid. “Refusing to hand over the aid proves this was never humanitarian, but a political stunt,” said Jonathan Peled, Israel’s ambassador to Italy.
Flotilla organizers described Wednesday’s confrontation as a “war crime,” accusing Israeli forces of using aggressive tactics, including water cannons, though no one was reported injured. Boats were intercepted about 70 nautical miles from Gaza in international waters, where Israel maintains surveillance to prevent any vessels from entering. Organizers said communications, including live feeds from several boats, were disrupted.
Tracking data showed 13 boats had been stopped by early Thursday, but flotilla organizers remained defiant, announcing on Telegram that 30 vessels were still moving toward Gaza, just 46 nautical miles away. The convoy had hoped to reach Gaza on Thursday morning if unimpeded.
Israel has enforced a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized control of the coastal strip in 2007. Previous attempts to breach the blockade have ended in violence, most notably in 2010 when Israeli commandos boarded six aid ships, killing nine activists. Earlier this June, Israeli forces detained Thunberg and 11 crew members from a smaller boat organized by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition as it neared Gaza.
Israel launched its current offensive in Gaza after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed around 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 hostages taken, according to Israeli figures. Gaza’s health authorities say more than 65,000 people have since been killed in Israel’s assault.
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