New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the Israeli Navy’s interception of a flotilla of activists headed to Gaza to highlight conditions there “as a brazen violation of international law” — adding that several New Yorkers were among those detained.
“Last night, Israeli forces intercepted and boarded a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza in international waters off the coast of Greece — unlawfully detaining more than 175 people, including several New Yorkers,” Mamdani posted on X on Thursday. “My team has been in direct contact with State and Federal partners as we work to confirm the whereabouts and conditions of these New Yorkers. This is a brazen violation of international law. Those detained must be released.”
Israeli forces detained about 175 activists from more than 20 boats in the flotilla. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, in a post on X, said the activists would be transferred to Greece and “disembarked on a Greek beach in the coming hours.”
“All participants in the provocative flotilla who were taken off the vessels were taken off unharmed,” Saar wrote.
Saar accused the flotilla of being more about “provocations” than providing “humanitarian aid” for Gaza.
“Israel will not allow the breach of the lawful blockade,” he said.
NBC News reported that Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said “early action was required in accordance with international law” due to the large number of vessels in the flotilla. “The operation was carried out in international waters peacefully and without any casualties,” he said.
Among nations condemning the anti-flotilla action was Turkey, with its foreign ministry calling it “an act of piracy.”
Nearly a year ago, Israel foiled a previous flotilla from reaching Gaza.
A tenuous ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas — the militant organization that has controlled Gaza since 2007 — has held for the past six months.