Shafaq News- Middle East
Israeli naval forces intercepted and boarded the Global Sumud Flotilla, a Gaza-bound aid convoy of around 58 vessels, in international waters near Crete, the group announced on Thursday.
The flotilla “sumud” —meaning steadfastness in Arabic— said Israeli forces disabled several boats, damaging engines and navigation systems before withdrawing, accusing them of “intentionally leaving hundreds of civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels directly in the path of a massive approaching storm.”
According to a timeline published by Anadolu Agency, Israeli speedboats and drones approached the convoy, ordered it to change course, directed weapons and laser devices at activists, and instructed them to kneel. Communications were later jammed, prompting a distress signal to the Greek Coast Guard. Contact was then lost with 11 vessels as Israeli forces began seizing boats, before vessels were boarded near Crete.
The flotilla described the operation as a “violent raid,” linking it to a “years-long campaign of starvation and slaughter” against the people of Gaza.
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry condemned the interception as “an act of piracy,” stating that targeting a humanitarian aid flotilla violated international law, humanitarian principles, and freedom of navigation on the high seas. It said Ankara is coordinating with other countries over the safety of its citizens and other passengers.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement denounced the incident as “treacherous aggression.” The use of firearms against activists, it added, reflected 78 years of violence against the Palestinian people.
A similar flotilla mission in October 2025 was intercepted in international waters, with activists and vessels detained, triggering protests in several countries, including Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Israel has maintained a blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007. Ongoing hostilities since October 7, 2023, have killed 72,599 people and wounded 172,411 others, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health authorities.