Israeli naval forces intercepted an international flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza on Wednesday, halting its latest effort to challenge Israel’s long-standing blockade of the Palestinian territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of about 45 vessels and carrying politicians and activists — among them Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, and French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan — had set sail from Spain last month. Organizers said their goal was to break through the blockade and deliver supplies to what the United Nations describes as a famine-stricken enclave.
The flotilla reported that around 8:30 p.m. Gaza time several of its ships, including the Alma, Sirius and Adara, were “illegally intercepted and boarded” by Israeli forces in international waters. Live streams and communications with some other vessels were subsequently lost.
Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed the interception, stating that the ships were “safely stopped” and passengers transferred to an Israeli port. “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy,” the ministry wrote on social media, posting video of Thunberg gathering her belongings.
The mission had already faced tense encounters before reaching Israeli waters. After a stop in Tunisia marked by two drone attacks, activists accused Israeli warships of circling their vessels in what they described as intimidation tactics. Despite warnings from Spain and Italy — both of which had sent naval escorts but halted at Israel’s declared exclusion zone — the flotilla pressed on, saying it would not be deterred.
International reaction was swift. Turkey’s foreign minister denounced the interception as “an act of terrorism” and a grave violation of international law. South Africa urged “utmost restraint” to protect the safety of participants, while Italy and Greece appealed for both sides to avoid escalation. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stressed that the flotilla “does not represent a danger to Israel” and hoped the Netanyahu government would not pose a threat to the activists.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, however, criticized the voyage, arguing it could undermine U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza peace plan, still under negotiation. “In the face of a historic opportunity, I cannot understand the insistence on an initiative that carries elements of danger and irresponsibility,” she said.
Israel has blocked similar flotilla attempts in June and July. On Wednesday afternoon, organizers reported they were just 90 nautical miles from Gaza before being stopped. Their earlier message vowed: “We sail on undeterred by Israeli threats and tactics of intimidation.”