The Israeli navy has intercepted a flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, detaining dozens of activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the vessels were safely stopped and those aboard were being transferred to an Israeli port for deportation.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which organized the mission, called the interception illegal, accusing Israeli forces of ramming one boat, using water cannons, and blocking distress signals to halt livestreams.
The flotilla, reportedly made up of 44 vessels, had hoped to reach Gaza today, but several boats, including the Alma, Surius, and Adara were boarded in international waters around 70 nautical miles from the coast.
The Israeli government claimed the activists were violating a legal naval blockade, branding the mission a provocation.
Global protests erupted in response, with condemnations from Turkey, Colombia, and unions in Italy.
Meanwhile, international bodies, including the UN, urged Israel to lift the blockade and allow aid to flow freely into Gaza, where famine and humanitarian crisis have intensified amid ongoing military operations.