Israeli forces intercept vessels from flotilla trying to breach Gaza blockade
Israeli forces said they detained about 100 activists after boarding boats in international waters as the flotilla sought to challenge the blockade on Gaza.
- On Monday, Israeli naval forces intercepted and boarded vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla in the eastern Mediterranean, halting the mission's attempt to break Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
- More than 50 vessels departed from Marmaris, Turkey, last week, seeking to challenge the 18-year maritime blockade and deliver aid to Palestinians in Gaza, according to flotilla organizers.
- Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed the convoy as "a provocation for the sake of provocation" with "no humanitarian aid," while asserting over 1.58 million tons of supplies have entered Gaza since October 2025.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the interception as "thwarting a malicious plan" designed to break the blockade, while reports indicate detained activists are being transferred to a floating detention facility.
- Brazil and Spain condemned the interception, while the raid revived questions about enforcing blockades in international waters, following a similar incident near Crete last month involving the same flotilla.
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Not a single boat from the Global Sumud Flotilla is still en route to Gaza. The organization confirmed this after the last livestream from a boat was also cut off when the Israeli army boarded the vessel.
CPJ calls on Israel to release press detained on Gaza-bound flotilla
Beirut, May 19, 2026 —The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israeli authorities to immediately release all journalists and media workers detained after Israeli forces intercepted vessels from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, and to disclose the location and legal status of those being held. According to organizers, on May 18, Israeli forces began intercepting vessels in international waters near the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, a…
Israeli Navy Intercepts Activists Bound for Gaza in International Waters
Israeli forces have intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of over 50 so-called ‘selfie yachts’ claiming to carry humanitarian aid and hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists. The interception occurred in broad daylight in international waters, approximately 250 nautical miles off the coast of Cyprus. According to reports, around 40 vessels were seized and hundreds of activists, engaged in a self-styled attempt to break the maritime bloc…
Aftenposten
TV 2In a new attempt to break through the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, four Norwegians linked to the Global Sumud Flotilla were arrested, according to the group itself.
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