Israeli naval forces intercepted six remaining vessels from an activist flotilla attempting to breach the blockade of Gaza on Tuesday, as two other boats continued their journey, according to the group's livestream. Armed soldiers boarded the boats approximately 90–100 miles (145–160 km) from the Gaza coast, destroying cameras mounted on the vessels.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, whose boats departed from Marmaris, Turkey, last week, said hundreds of detained activists from over 40 nations were being forcibly transported to an unnamed port. The group demanded their immediate and unconditional release, alongside over 9,000 Palestinian prisoners, and expressed grave concerns about physical safety following previous allegations of torture and sexual violence by Israeli forces, which Israel denies.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin called the interception in international waters “absolutely unacceptable.” Turkey and Hamas labelled the act as “piracy,” while Italy, Spain and Indonesia called for the release of all detainees. Israel dismissed the flotilla as a provocation, stating adequate aid enters Gaza via 600 trucks daily, though a World Food Program report logged an average of 112 trucks per day in March.
Israel has maintained a naval blockade of Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007, intensified after the October 7, 2023 attacks. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 72,700 people killed in the subsequent offensive, with more than 850 deaths since a ceasefire last October.
