Israeli forces have intercepted and detained the crews of at least 22 ships near the Greek island of Crete, part of an international flotilla aimed at breaking the naval blockade of Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid. The “Global Sumud” flotilla, consisting of about 58 vessels carrying activists from over 70 countries, had set off from Italy on Sunday.
The flotilla's organizers described the operation as a "violent attack on international waters," claiming the Israeli military damaged the engines and navigation equipment of several ships and disrupted their communications. They said this left hundreds of civilians stranded at sea as a major storm approached.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the military seized more than 20 ships with about 175 activists on board. According to Israeli authorities, the activists were warned to change course and send aid through official channels, offering to sail to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
Turkey condemned the intervention as an “act of piracy,” while several European countries demanded the release of their citizens. The UN Special Rapporteur on Gaza and the West Bank, Francesca Albanese, questioned the legality of the operation in international waters.
Israeli authorities said the detained activists will be transferred to Greece in cooperation with Greek authorities and that no one was injured during the operation.
The flotilla aimed to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007 and where the recent war has caused severe shortages of food, water and medicine.
