Israeli forces began intercepting a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and international activists bound for Gaza on Wednesday, as the Global Sumud Flotilla attempted to breach Israel’s long-standing blockade of the Palestinian territory.
The flotilla, comprising around 45 vessels, set sail from Spain last month with the aim of delivering aid to Gaza, where the United Nations has warned that famine conditions are taking hold. Among the passengers were high-profile figures such as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, South African MP Mandla Mandela, French politician Marie Mesmeur, and Franco-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan.
At approximately 1500 GMT, flotilla organizers reported that their ships were less than 90 nautical miles (170 kilometres) from Gaza’s coast when Israeli warships began approaching. “The warships are moving in to intercept the flotilla — only 81 nautical miles remain to Gaza,” read a statement from the flotilla’s Maghreb contingent.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed on social media platform X that Israeli authorities were “currently boarding” some of the vessels. Both Mesmeur and Hassan also reported interception attempts on their boats.
Israeli Warnings and Military Response
Earlier, the Israeli navy had warned the flotilla not to enter waters under its blockade of Gaza. “The Israeli Navy has reached out to the flotilla and asked them to change course,” the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement. Organizers said one of their main vessels, the Alma, was “aggressively circled by an Israeli warship,” while another, the Sirius, was subjected to “similar harassing manoeuvres.”
Despite the threats, the flotilla vowed to continue its mission. “We sail on undeterred by Israeli threats and tactics of intimidation,” the activists said in a statement on X.
Israel has blocked multiple previous attempts by international flotillas to reach Gaza, including missions in June and July this year.
European Governments Urge Halt
The mission has drawn mixed reactions from European governments. Spain and Italy, both of which dispatched naval escorts for the flotilla, urged the vessels to stop short of Israel’s declared exclusion zone, which extends 150 nautical miles off Gaza.
“Our message to the flotilla has been clear: do not enter that zone,” said Spain’s Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez, adding that Spain’s naval escort would not cross into the exclusion area. Italy issued a similar warning, with its frigate halting at the same limit and broadcasting radio messages urging the activists to abandon their voyage.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni argued that the flotilla could undermine US President Donald Trump’s latest Gaza peace initiative, which is 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.
Greek and Italian authorities issued a joint statement urging Israel to “guarantee the safety and integrity of the flotilla’s participants,” while also calling on activists to refrain from actions that “could be exploited by those who still reject peace.”
Calls for Restraint
South Africa expressed concern for the safety of its citizens aboard the flotilla and urged “utmost restraint and caution against any unilateral actions that could escalate the situation or endanger human life.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez voiced support for the activists’ right to deliver aid, stressing that they posed no threat to Israel. “The activists do not represent a danger or a threat to Israel, and we hope Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government will not represent a threat to this flotilla either,” Sanchez said.
Escalating Tensions
The flotilla’s journey has already faced significant challenges. Earlier in September, while docked in Tunisia, organizers reported two drone attacks against their ships. Despite this, the convoy resumed its voyage on September 15, maintaining that it would press on with its mission to bring aid to Gaza.
As Israeli forces moved in, organizers stressed that they remained vigilant. “We enter the area where previous flotillas were intercepted and/or attacked,” a statement from the group read. “Yet we continue undeterred.”
The interception highlights the increasingly tense standoff over Gaza, where Israel continues to enforce its maritime blockade and where international pressure is mounting for humanitarian access amid worsening conditions for Palestinians.
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