Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Oct 2: Israeli naval forces on Wednesday intercepted a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, halting its latest attempt to breach Israel’s long-standing maritime blockade of the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
The operation was confirmed by both the Israeli foreign ministry and organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from Spain last month with around 45 vessels on board. The mission included several high-profile activists, among them Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
According to the flotilla organisers, “Around 8:30 pm Gaza time (5:30 pm GMT), several vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including the Alma, Sirius and Adara, were illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli occupation forces in international waters. Beyond the confirmed interceptions, live streams and communications with several other vessels have been lost.”
The Israeli foreign ministry later posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “several vessels of the flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port,” adding that “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.” The post was accompanied by a video showing Thunberg collecting her belongings.
Earlier, the Israeli navy had warned the flotilla not to enter waters under Israel’s blockade. The mission, which had paused for 10 days in Tunisia — where organisers reported drone attacks — resumed its journey toward Gaza on September 15.
Spain and Italy, which provided naval escorts, urged the flotilla to halt before crossing into Israel’s declared exclusion zone, which extends 150 nautical miles off Gaza. Both countries’ warships stopped at the edge of the restricted waters, broadcasting radio messages advising the activists to turn back.
Despite these warnings, the flotilla vowed to press ahead with what it called a humanitarian mission to deliver aid to Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of famine.
Turkey’s foreign minister condemned Israel’s interception as “an act of terrorism” and a “serious violation of international law,” while South Africa called for “utmost restraint and caution” to protect the safety of unarmed participants, which included Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, and French-Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the activists “do not represent a danger or a threat to Israel” and expressed hope that the Israeli government would ensure their safety. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged the flotilla to halt, citing concerns that the mission could jeopardise ongoing peace negotiations involving the United States.
The interception marks yet another setback for flotilla missions attempting to challenge Israel’s blockade, with similar efforts thwarted in June and July this year.