Israel Forcibly Stops Gaza Aid Flotilla — 175 Activists Detained, Ships Left Disabled
Israel has maintained a naval blockade on Gaza since 2009. After the deadly Hamas attack in October 2023, Israel tightened aid restrictions, pushing activists to escalate their flotilla missions directly toward Gaza.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, a protest group, assembled over 80 vessels and set sail from Barcelona — carrying food, baby formula, medicine, and school supplies — directly challenging Israel’s decades-old naval blockade.
On Thursday, the Israeli navy intercepted and boarded multiple flotilla boats in international waters near Greece. Around 175 activists from over 20 vessels were detained at sea and transferred to Israeli ships.
Activists alleged that Israeli forces smashed engines, destroyed navigation arrays, and jammed communications — deliberately leaving hundreds of civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels with a massive storm approaching fast.
Israel dismissed the mission as a “PR stunt” and mockingly labeled it the “condom flotilla.” Turkey condemned the interception as a violation of international law and freedom of navigation on the high seas.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced activists would be dropped on a Greek beach. The UN noted Gaza aid had surged between April 14–20, though the blockade debate — security measure vs. collective punishment — remains unresolved.
