Late Wednesday evening, Israeli forces intercepted several vessels belonging to an activist-organized flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and protest the ongoing conflict. This information comes from both the flotilla organizers and the Israeli foreign ministry.
The foreign ministry released a video showing renowned Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, a passenger on one of the boats, being offered a bottle of water by a militarily-uniformed individual. The ministry confirmed that “several vessels” had been “safely stopped” and their occupants were being escorted to an Israeli port.
These vessels are part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an initiative by activists challenging Israel’s long-standing blockade of Gaza. Their mission is to deliver essential supplies like food, protesting the war and the severe humanitarian crisis within the enclave. Recent reports from a UN-backed panel of food experts indicate parts of Gaza are experiencing famine, a claim Israel disputes.
On Wednesday, flotilla organizers took to social media to announce that Israeli naval forces had “illegally intercepted and boarded the Global Sumud Flotilla’s vessel Sirius along with other boats in international waters,” condemning it as “an illegal attack on unarmed humanitarians.”
Footage shared by the organizers depicts Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist and steering committee member, on board one of the ships. He can be heard responding to a command to retreat, asserting that their mission was strictly humanitarian, carrying only food, medical provisions, and water filters.
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, issued a statement Wednesday night dismissing the flotilla as a mere public relations “stunt.” The statement added that “Those who tried to enter Israeli territory illegally will be deported immediately after Yom Kippur,” referencing the Jewish holiday that commenced Wednesday evening and concludes Thursday at sundown.
The activists on the flotilla, including Ms. Thunberg, had anticipated this confrontation with Israeli forces. They extensively livestreamed their journey across the Mediterranean on social media, with videos showing them engaging in training for nonviolent responses to potential encounters with Israeli commandos.
The flotilla has garnered significant public attention since its departure, partly due to the involvement of prominent figures such as Ms. Thunberg and Italian lawmakers. In Italy, antiwar protests have recently caused considerable disruption and traffic issues.
From the mission’s outset, organizers have been in direct conflict with Israeli authorities. The Israeli government has vowed to prevent the ships from reaching Gaza, accusing the group of affiliations with Hamas—a claim the organizers vehemently deny.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has alleged Israeli involvement in multiple drone attacks on their ships. These incidents reportedly occurred last week in Greek waters and earlier in September at a Tunisian port, as the flotilla traversed the Mediterranean.
However, as the flotilla neared Israeli territory, these same nations advised its members to reverse course.
On Wednesday, the foreign ministries of Greece and Italy released a joint appeal, requesting the group to hand over its aid to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for delivery. Their concern was that the activists’ actions could undermine the peace plan put forth by the United States on Monday.
Their statement emphasized, “At this delicate juncture, everyone must refrain from initiatives that could be exploited by those who still reject peace.”
Spanish officials also cautioned the boats against entering 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.
The broadcaster indicated that while the Spanish Navy would deploy a rescue vessel nearby for emergencies, activists were informed it would not escort them should they proceed further towards Gaza.
Following the interception, Spain’s Health Minister, Mónica García, took to social media to call for the “immediate release” of those detained.
Israeli authorities had previously offered to facilitate the aid delivery if the ships would offload their cargo at an Israeli or regional port. However, organizers dismissed this offer as insincere, viewing it as evidence that Israel did not genuinely believe they were tied to Hamas.
Adnaan Stumo, an American onboard one of the vessels, recounted a conversation from Friday, stating, “After they call us ‘the Hamas flotilla,’ then they invite us to Ashkelon marina,” referring to an Israeli port.
Mr. Stumo emphasized that the volunteers were “normal people,” deeply troubled by the civilian toll of the war in Gaza and committed to nonviolent principles.
This is not the first time activists have attempted, and been prevented from, reaching Gaza by sea.
Previous attempts include May, when the Gaza-bound ship ‘Conscience’ ceased its mission near Malta following explosions. In June, Israel intercepted ‘the Madleen’ with Ms. Thunberg onboard, and in July, ‘the Handala’ faced a similar fate.
A particularly tragic incident occurred in 2010 when an Israeli operation to halt a different flotilla resulted in a deadly confrontation, with navy commandos boarding a vessel, leaving at least nine passengers dead and 30 wounded.
Since the commencement of the war following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, Israel has significantly tightened its restrictions on goods entering Gaza. Between March and May of this year, Israel reportedly blocked all aid, citing concerns over Hamas potentially diverting food supplies meant for civilians.
In August, international food security experts declared that parts of Gaza were suffering from famine, with widespread severe hunger and deprivation. Furthermore, a U.N. commission investigating the war’s conduct last month asserted that Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel has refuted both of these findings, disputing their methodology.