Early on Thursday morning, organizers confirmed that Israel had intercepted over a dozen boats carrying international activists. This flotilla aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and protest the ongoing conflict.
Over 150 activists from more than twenty nations were reportedly detained, while approximately 30 more boats continued their journey toward Gaza, roughly 46 nautical miles from its coast.
On Wednesday evening, the Israeli foreign ministry stated that several vessels were ‘safely stopped,’ with passengers being transported to an Israeli port. A video released by the ministry depicted Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, a passenger, calmly interacting with military personnel.
These vessels belong to the Global Sumud Flotilla, an activist initiative defying Israel’s long-standing blockade on Gaza by attempting to deliver essential food and supplies. This effort comes as parts of Gaza have faced severe famine in recent months, a crisis acknowledged by a UN-backed panel of food experts, though Israel disputes these findings.
In a video shared by flotilla organizers, Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, a member of the group’s steering committee, is seen on one of the boats. He responds to a clear command to retreat by stating that their mission is purely humanitarian, carrying only food, medical provisions, and vital items such as water filters.
Organizers of the flotilla asserted that Israeli naval forces ‘illegally intercepted and boarded’ their vessels in international waters, denouncing it as an ‘illegal attack on unarmed humanitarians.’ They also released footage depicting some boats being assailed with water cannons.
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed the flotilla’s actions as a mere ‘public relations stunt’ on Wednesday night, adding that all passengers would face immediate deportation.
Activists had anticipated confrontations with Israeli forces, having livestreamed their Mediterranean journey on social media. Videos demonstrated their training for nonviolent responses in preparation for potential encounters with Israeli commandos.
The flotilla garnered significant public interest from its outset, partly due to the involvement of prominent figures such as Greta Thunberg and Italian lawmakers. This coincides with recent antiwar protests in Italy, which have caused traffic disruptions and other disturbances.
News of the interceptions quickly ignited further protests across Italy, leading the trade union Unione Sindacale di Base to call for a national strike on Friday.
Social media buzzed with videos and posts showcasing protests in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, and Turkey. In their early Thursday update, flotilla organizers expressed gratitude to those who took to the streets in solidarity.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s actions on social media early Thursday, demanding the immediate release of the activists. He stated that ‘by obstructing this humanitarian mission, Israel not only disregards the basic rights of the Palestinian people but has also trampled on the conscience of the global community.’
Malaysia’s state news agency confirmed that eight Malaysian citizens aboard the flotilla were among those detained by the Israeli military.
The mission has been plagued by conflict with Israeli authorities from its inception. The Israeli government has vowed to prevent the ships from reaching Gaza, alleging ties to Hamas—an accusation vehemently denied by the organizers.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has accused Israel of orchestrating multiple drone attacks against their ships during their Mediterranean journey, citing incidents near Greece last week and at a Tunisian port in early September.
Following these incidents, both Italy and Spain dispatched naval ships to escort parts of the flotilla’s route. Turkey also deployed drones to monitor the boats and record any potential attacks.
However, as the flotilla neared Israel, these same nations urged its participants to reverse course.
On Wednesday, the foreign ministries of Greece and Italy jointly appealed to the group, requesting they transfer their aid to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for delivery. They expressed concerns that the activists’ actions could undermine the peace plan recently proposed by the United States on Monday.
Their statement urged everyone to ‘refrain from initiatives that could be exploited by those who still reject peace’ during this critical period.
Spanish officials echoed these concerns, advising the boats not to enter what Israel designated as a closed military zone, warning that such action would ‘severely jeopardize their own security,’ as reported by Spain’s state broadcaster.
Israeli officials had offered a compromise: transfer the cargo to Gaza if the ships offloaded it at an Israeli port or another regional port. Organizers dismissed this offer as insincere, citing it as proof that Israel did not truly believe they were connected to Hamas.
Adnaan Stumo, an American on one of the boats, expressed his disbelief via telephone on Friday, remarking, ‘After they call us ‘the Hamas flotilla,’ then they invite us to Ashkelon marina,’ referring to an Israeli port.
Stumo emphasized that the volunteers were ‘normal people’ profoundly troubled by the war’s impact on Gaza’s civilians, and that their actions were rooted in principles of nonviolence.
This is not the first time activists have attempted, and been thwarted, in their efforts to reach Gaza by sea.
Previous attempts include May’s incident, where the Gaza-bound ship ‘Conscience’ ended its mission near Malta following explosions. In June, Israel intercepted ‘the Madleen’ with Ms. Thunberg on board, and ‘the Handala’ in July.
A past attempt in 2010 to stop a similar flotilla proved fatal when Israeli navy commandos boarded a boat, resulting in the deaths of at least nine passengers and injuries to 30 others.
Since the conflict began with the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, Israel has tightened restrictions on goods entering Gaza. From March to May this year, all aid was blocked, with Israel asserting this was to prevent Hamas from diverting food supplies meant for civilians.
By August, global food security experts reported that famine conditions were present in parts of Gaza, with widespread severe hunger and hardship. Furthermore, a UN commission’s investigation into Israel’s conduct of the war last month concluded that the country was engaged in acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel has vehemently rejected both these findings, disputing the methodologies used to reach them.