Israeli forces have boarded and taken control of several ships that are part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which had been attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and that had garnered global attention as one of the biggest naval aid missions to the Palestinian enclave.
The flotilla – which in all includes more than 40 civilian boats and about 500 activists – was intercepted by Israeli forces late on Wednesday, with activists on board detained and taken to Israel.
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Israel had previously said that it would do whatever it takes to stop the Gaza-bound flotilla, claiming the volunteers were trying to “breach a lawful naval blockade” – a claim that goes against international law.
Israel has blockaded Gaza to varying degrees since Hamas took control of the Strip in 2007. Gaza’s residents have largely been trapped in the territory since then, with the entry of food, goods and aid strictly controlled by Israel.
Here is what to know.
What happened to the flotilla on Wednesday?
Israel intercepted a flotilla of boats carrying humanitarian aid, according to statements from the flotilla organisers.
They reported that Israeli naval forces boarded the vessels about 70 nautical miles (130km) off the coast of Gaza, cutting communications and jamming signals as the flotilla neared the blockaded enclave.
In total, at least 13 vessels that are part of the flotilla have been intercepted at sea.
Saif Abukeshek, spokesperson for the Global Sumud Flotilla, said more than 201 people from 37 countries were on board these boats. This included 30 participants from Spain, 22 from Italy, 21 from Turkiye and 12 from Malaysia, among others.
“We have around 30 ships that are still fighting their way away from the military vessels of the occupation forces trying to reach to the shores of Gaza. They are determined,” he added.
Those are now 85km (46 nautical miles) from Gaza’s coast, according to the flotilla organisers.
The flotilla’s progress across the Mediterranean had already drawn international attention, and the arrests of activists on board sparked protests in cities including Rome, Buenos Aires and Istanbul on Wednesday night.
Earlier in the day, activists described shadowy encounters with unlit boats and drones tailing the convoy, heightening tensions on board.
“On Wednesday … at around 8:30pm [17:30 GMT], multiple vessels of Global Sumud Flotilla – notably Alma, Surius, Adara – were illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli Occupation Forces in international waters,” a flotilla statement said.
“Prior to illegally boarding the ships, it appears as though the Israeli naval vessels intentionally damaged ship communications, in an attempt to block distress signals and stop the livestream of their illegal boat boarding.”
Despite carrying only a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, the flotilla had pressed forward with its mission to establish a maritime corridor into Gaza, where nearly two years of Israel’s war have left the population facing an acute humanitarian crisis.
How did Israel respond?
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a video showing a woman in military uniform speaking by phone, introducing herself as a representative of the Israeli navy.
In the call, she warns the flotilla that it is nearing a restricted, blockaded area and explains that any aid for Gaza must be sent “through the established channels”.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also said that activists on board the Gaza aid flotilla will be deported once the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur concludes on Thursday.
“Reports suggest more interceptions are expected,” Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim, reporting from Doha, said.
“Israeli soldiers have boarded the ships and detained many of the activists on board. Those detained would normally go through a legal process, but Israel is currently under near-total shutdown because of the Yom Kippur holiday,” she added.
“That means courts and prisons are not functioning, creating a limbo for the activists if they are detained.”
A video published by Israel’s Foreign Ministry showed Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate campaigner, sitting on a deck with soldiers around her.
“Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port,” the ministry said on X. “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”
We will not allow any PR stunt approaching an active war zone to violate our sovereignty. Those who tried to enter Israeli territory illegally will be deported immediately after Yom Kippur in Israel. Israel has repeatedly offered ways to peacefully deliver aid to Gaza, but this… pic.twitter.com/JVZldN0kYb
— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) October 1, 2025
Since 2009, Israel has formally enforced a naval blockade it says is necessary to prevent weapons from being smuggled in. Israeli authorities have also alleged that some flotilla organisers are connected to Hamas, a claim the activists strongly reject as unfounded. Israel has yet to present any evidence to prove its claims.
Has this happened before?
Vessels and convoys have attempted to break the blockade of Gaza since 2010.
A few key examples include:
2010 – The Mavi Marmara incident: The most infamous case, when Israeli commandos boarded the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Clashes broke out, and 10 activists were killed as a result, drawing global condemnation and straining Israel-Turkiye relations.
Israel apologised for “operational mistakes” in the raid in 2013. A compensation deal is still being negotiated between the two countries. Israeli soldiers and officials who took part in the attack are being tried in absentia in Turkiye for war crimes.
2011-2018 – Smaller flotillas stopped: Several subsequent flotillas, including vessels in 2011, 2015, and 2018. Israel typically diverted the ships to Ashdod port, detained activists, and confiscated cargo. In 2018, activists were arrested, and some reported they were tasered and beaten.
2024 – Flotilla attempts: Activist groups continued organising flotillas, but Israel either prevented them from leaving ports abroad or intercepted them before they could approach Gaza.
2025 – Several flotilla missions set sail to challenge Israel’s naval blockade. One such mission in June involved the ship Madleen, which departed from Catania, Sicily, with food, medical supplies, baby formula and other essential goods. It also carried activists, including Greta Thunberg.
In the early hours of June 9, Israeli naval forces intercepted and boarded the Madleen in international waters, using a chemical irritant spray, and then seized the vessel, detaining the 12 people on board. The activists were deported after being processed in Israel.
What else do we know about the current flotilla?
The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail in late August 2025, departing from ports in Spain and Italy before stopping in Greece and Tunisia as it made its way across the Mediterranean.
The mission began with more than 50 vessels representing at least 44 countries, carrying hundreds of international volunteers, activists and lawmakers. Among them are 24 Americans, including several military veterans, according to the organisers.
On board were symbolic yet significant amounts of humanitarian cargo, including food, medical supplies and other essentials for Gaza’s population.
Activists reported several hostile encounters at sea, including suspected drone attacks near Malta and Crete, which left some vessels damaged and forced to withdraw. By the time the flotilla neared the eastern Mediterranean, 44 ships remained in the convoy.
International attention grew as the flotilla pressed on. Spain and Italy both deployed naval vessels to monitor its progress and offer assistance if required, while governments across Europe and beyond urged restraint from all parties.
Have other governments responded to Israel’s arrest of flotilla activists?
Multiple countries have condemned Israel’s actions.
- Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim said he condemns in the “strongest terms” Israel’s “intimidation and coercion” of vessels carrying “unarmed civilians and life-saving humanitarian supplies for Gaza”. Israel, he said in a post on X, had shown “utter contempt not only for the rights of the Palestinian people but also for the conscience of the world”. At least 12 Malaysian nationals are on the boats intercepted by Israel so far.
- Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Harris said he has spoken to European Union counterparts who are part of the Gaza flotilla after the raid by Israeli forces and the arrest of activists attempting to deliver aid by sea to the Palestinian territory. He called the Israeli action “very concerning”, describing the flotilla as “a peaceful mission to shine a light on a horrific humanitarian catastrophe”. Ireland’s Foreign Ministry said that its embassy in Tel Aviv was speaking with Israeli authorities. “Our focus now is on assisting citizens immediately impacted and their families. This will be the priority for our team over the coming hours,” the ministry said.
- Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has expelled Israeli diplomats from the South American country in response to the Israeli detention of Gaza flotilla activists, including two Colombian nationals. In a post on X, Petro also said a free trade agreement between Colombia and Israel had been “denounced immediately”. He added, in a separate post: “Here Netanyahu demonstrates his worldwide hypocrisy and why he is a worldwide criminal who must be captured”.
- Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said on Telegram that Israel’s move to stop the boats from getting to Gaza “exposes, once again, the criminal nature of the Zionist regime”. He added that “the blockade of humanitarian aid is a tool of deliberate war, the continuation of genocide by other means, seeing to annihilate the population by starvation to complement their indiscriminate bombings”.
- Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry has condemned Israel’s naval interception of the Sumud Flotilla. The ministry called Israel’s actions a “terrorist” act.