Israeli forces have intercepted a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, detaining dozens of activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which set sail from Spain with more than 40 ships and around 500 people, was stopped in international waters about 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said several vessels had been “safely stopped” and those aboard were being taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod for deportation. The ministry said its navy had ordered the boats to change course as they were “approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade.”
The GSF condemned the move, describing the interception as “illegal” and “not an act of defence” but “a brazen act of desperation.” Activists alleged that one vessel was “deliberately rammed at sea” and others were struck with water cannon.
Global reactions have been swift. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called the operation “contrary to international law and violates the sovereignty of every nation whose flag was flown on the dozens of vessels in the flotilla.” By contrast, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the activists’ mission, saying: “I continue to believe that all this brings no benefit to the Palestinian people.”
Israel released footage showing Thunberg on the deck of a boat being handed water and a jacket by Israeli soldiers. “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy,” the government said, while calling the flotilla a “provocation” rather than a humanitarian mission.
The operation has triggered protests in Greece, Italy, Germany, Tunisia, and Turkey. Pakistan, Bolivia, and Malaysia also condemned Israel’s actions. In Italy, rallies broke out Wednesday evening, with the country’s largest trade union CGIL announcing a general strike in solidarity with Gaza.
The United Nations also weighed in. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged Israel to “urgently lift the blockade on Gaza and allow the entry of life-saving material through all means possible.”
Diplomatic fallout is intensifying. Turkey’s foreign ministry denounced the interception as an “act of terrorism,” while Colombian President Gustavo Petro expelled all Israeli diplomats, ended a free trade agreement, and called the operation “an international crime by Netanyahu.” Ireland reported that at least seven of its citizens, including Sinn Féin senator Chris Andrews, were among those detained.
This is the third time since June that Israel has blocked an activist flotilla attempting to bring aid to Gaza. The Israeli government maintains that the blockade is necessary to prevent supplies from reaching Hamas. It and the United States back an alternative distribution scheme, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the UN has rejected as “unethical.”
Aid groups warn that conditions inside Gaza remain dire. A UN-backed panel confirmed last month that famine has set in, blaming Israel’s “systematic obstruction” of aid deliveries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the findings as “an outright lie.”
Thunberg has rejected Israeli claims that the flotilla was a publicity stunt. “I don’t think anyone would risk their life for a publicity stunt,” she told the BBC earlier this week.
