Israeli forces intercepted at least 22 Gaza-bound flotilla boats near Crete and detained about 175 activists, drawing protests from organizers and European officials.
Israeli naval forces intercepted at least 22 boats in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla near the Greek island of Crete and detained about 175 activists, the flotilla’s organizers and Israel’s foreign ministry said Thursday.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set out to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, denounced the operation as piracy and said its boats were seized in international waters more than 965km, or 600 miles, from Gaza. Israel said the operation was peaceful, caused no casualties and was necessary to prevent a breach of what it called a lawful blockade.
The foreign ministry said activists from more than 20 boats were being transported to Israel. The flotilla’s tracking data showed most of its remaining 36 boats close to Crete’s southern coast after the overnight interceptions. The convoy had included 58 vessels that joined from Spain, France and Italy over the past two weeks.
Organizers accused Israeli forces of boarding vessels, disabling boats and jamming communications, saying some civilians were left on damaged vessels as a storm approached. The Israeli foreign ministry rejected the flotilla as a “PR stunt” and said an initial inspection found materials that appeared to be drugs and contraceptives. It also accused the organizers of working with Hamas to undermine the next phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said Israeli naval vessels were outside Greek territorial waters when the interception took place and that there had been no prior consultation between Israeli and Greek authorities. He said Greek authorities could not intervene in international waters except for search-and-rescue operations, but were on high alert if needed.
Marinakis also said Greece’s coast guard had been told by its Israeli counterpart that 17 flotilla vessels were abandoned and adrift in international waters, while those who had been aboard were on Israeli warships and in good health.
The incident drew criticism from European officials. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the seizure and called for the immediate release of Italians she said were unlawfully detained; Italian media reported that 24 Italians were among those held. An EU foreign affairs spokesman said Israeli authorities should respect international, humanitarian and maritime law.
The flotilla’s stated aim was to break the blockade, press for a permanent humanitarian corridor into Gaza and increase international pressure over enforcement of the restrictions. Israel’s Cogat agency, which oversees Gaza land crossings, said Israel was facilitating aid entry and that there was no limit on the amount of aid allowed into the territory.
The confrontation comes as humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain severe. A senior UN official told the Security Council earlier this week that Gaza’s 2.1 million people were facing deadly Israeli strikes and dire conditions, with food security still a challenge and water, sanitation and health services again near collapse despite some recent improvements in access and aid delivery.
Israel also stopped a previous Global Sumud Flotilla effort last October, arresting and later deporting more than 470 people, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. It was not immediately clear when the latest detainees would reach Israel, how quickly they might face deportation proceedings, or what would happen to the remaining flotilla vessels near Crete.
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