Israeli naval forces illegally boarded most vessels in a Gaza-bound flotilla Thursday, detaining dozens of people, including European lawmakers, and prompting widespread condemnation.
The Global Sumud Flotilla was the largest yet to try to break the blockade and it comes at a time of growing criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, where its offensive has laid waste to wide swaths of territory and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Activists had said they hoped that the sheer number of boats would make it more difficult for Israeli authorities to intercept them all – but Israel’s Foreign Ministry declared the operation over Thursday afternoon.
Supporters of the flotilla took to the streets in several major cities late Wednesday, after news of the interception broke – including in Rome, Istanbul, Athens, and Buenos Aires – to decry the Israeli aggression and the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza.
More protests were expected and Italy’s largest union called for a one-day general strike Friday.
The flotilla, which started out with more than 40 boats and nearly 450 activists, was carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Its main goal, they said, remained “to break Israel’s illegal siege and end the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed it as a “provocation,” saying that various countries have offered to deliver the aid the boats were carrying.
Israel has come under intense criticism for how much aid it lets into Gaza and distributes the goods. It has vehemently denied it is committing genocide.
The organizers of the flotilla said at least 39 of their boats were intercepted or assumed intercepted in a nightlong Israeli operation.
Israeli authorities later said only one boat remained “at a distance” and would be intercepted if it approached.
The flotilla has streamed its voyage online via live cameras aboard different boats, though connections were lost as Israeli authorities began boarding them in international waters Wednesday evening.
The war was triggered by the Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, causing 1,200 deaths and taking 251 others hostage. Forty-eight hostages are still held in Gaza – around 20 believed to be alive.
Israel’s ensuing genocidal war, in comparison, has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israel has maintained varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas came to power in 2007, saying it is necessary to contain the resistance group. Critics deride the policy as collective punishment.
After the war started, Israel tightened the blockade but eased up later under U.S. pressure. In March, it sealed the territory off from all food, medicine and other goods for 2 1/2 months, contributing to Gaza’s slide into famine.
The flotilla said it wanted to establish a humanitarian corridor by sea, given the little aid that was reaching Gaza by land.
Israeli forces detained and removed dozens of people – including Greta Thunberg, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and European Parliament member Rima Hassan – from the flotilla.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted photos and videos of some of the activists detained, saying in a statement on X that they were “safe and in good health” and would be transferred to Israel for deportation.
Earlier, live broadcasts from the activists showed Israeli boats approaching their vessels, spraying them with water canons and flashing bright lights before troops boarded the flotilla.
Anticipating the interceptions, activists wearing life jackets sat in circles and raised their hands in the air. Some managed to stream the moment live from their cellphones before tossing their devices into the sea.
Türkiye, Colombia, Pakistan and others condemned Israel’s interception of the flotilla.
Israel has argued its actions constitute a lawful naval blockade needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics consider it collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza.
Whether the blockade is militarily justified is a point of contention. But the flotilla argues they are a civilian, unarmed group and that the passage of humanitarian aid is guaranteed under international law.
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