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Israeli forces board pro-Palestinian aid boats in Mediterranean
More than 50 vessels carrying humanitarian supplies for Gaza were intercepted by Israeli commandos roughly 250 nautical miles west of Cyprus on Monday, organizers said.
Flotilla organizers denounce raid as illegal
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) accused Israel of conducting an "illegal, high-seas aggression" after live video showed armed personnel boarding several boats. Activists raised their hands as commandos climbed aboard around 07:30 GMT.
"Military vessels are intercepting our fleet in broad daylight," GSF stated. "We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission." The group warned that contact had been lost with 23 of the 54 boats.
Israel defends blockade enforcement
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the naval operation, calling it "effectively neutralizing a malicious plan designed to break the isolation we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza." A transcript released by his office captured his radio message to commanders: "You are doing this with great success, and certainly with less prominence than our enemies expected."
Israel's foreign ministry dismissed the flotilla as a "provocation for the sake of provocation," alleging that two Turkish groups involved-Mavi Marmara and IHH-had violent histories. IHH, designated a terrorist organization by Israel, helped organize a 2010 flotilla where Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists during a raid.
The ministry also claimed the flotilla aimed to "serve Hamas" and undermine U.S. President Trump's peace plan.
Activists cite dire conditions in Gaza
Participants insisted the mission was necessary to deliver aid to Gaza's 2.1 million residents, most of whom remain displaced despite a ceasefire agreed last October. The UN reported last week that families were sheltering in overcrowded tents or damaged buildings, with limited access to clean water and inadequate waste management.
Israel countered that Gaza was "flooded with aid," citing 1.5 million tonnes of supplies and thousands of tonnes of medical goods entering the territory over the past seven months. However, the UN noted that only 86% of approved humanitarian cargo was offloaded in April, with the rest returned to origin.
International reactions
Turkey's foreign ministry condemned the interception as "a new act of piracy." Organizers said at least two dozen Turkish nationals were aboard the intercepted vessels.
Last month, Israeli forces detained 181 activists from a similar flotilla near Crete. All but two-Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Ávila-were released in Greece after international pressure. The pair were deported from Israel following 10 days in custody.
Background to the conflict
The Gaza war began after Hamas-led militants killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October 2023 and took 251 hostages. Israel's subsequent military campaign has killed over 72,760 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
