“Israeli” naval forces hijacked vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla after it departed Turkey for the Gaza Strip, attempting to break the Israeli blockade.
Immediately following the seizure, the Global Sumud Flotilla posted a red alert on its social media accounts, stating that “Israeli” occupation forces [IOF] were intercepting and boarding its Gaza-bound vessels “in broad daylight,” calling for immediate international intervention and demanding safe passage for its legal, non-violent humanitarian mission.
In response, the flotilla condemned the “Israeli” occupation of carrying out illegal acts of piracy to maintain the siege on Gaza.
“Israeli” Channel 12 confirmed that “Israeli” naval commandos from “Shayetet 13” seized the Sumud Flotilla after an alert, with videos showing forces attacking the vessels and detaining activists, Palestinian media reported.
Furthermore, “Israeli” reports said that the operation of seizing and taking control of all the fleet’s ships will take several hours and may continue until tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza [ICBSG] said its convoy to Gaza was intercepted by IOF, with activists detained and cameras destroyed to “obscure the truth.”
In a statement, the committee called for safe passage for its peaceful humanitarian mission, condemned the blockade as “unjust,” and urged global intervention to stop what it described as “Israeli” “acts of piracy,” warning that normalizing such violence threatens broader peace.
As the situation unfolded, the flotilla participants reported two approaching ships—one large, one speedboat—suspected to be “Israeli”, raising fears of an imminent boarding.
Initially, the flotilla carrying activists from 70 countries, departed Turkey to challenge the “Israeli” blockade on Gaza, sailing some 310 nautical miles from the coast.
Looking at recent history, weeks after IOF seized flotilla vessels near Crete, detaining 175 activists, the current Global Sumud Flotilla—including hundreds of international participants—continues efforts to challenge Gaza’s blockade amid worsening humanitarian conditions.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said activists endured 40 hours of abuse by IOF in international waters, facing beatings, flooded decks, and denial of food and water, amid attempts to abduct participants.
Source: Al-Ahed English News
