Hamas decries Israeli ‘piracy’ after attack on Gaza-bound aid flotilla

The Palestinian group Hamas on Thursday denounced an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla as a “terrorist attack” and “piracy.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said naval forces intercepted and seized more than 20 ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea and detained about 175 activists on board. The attack took place near the Greek Island of Crete, hundreds of nautical miles (over 1,000 kilometers) from Israel.

“We strongly condemn the Zionist terrorist attack carried out by the (Israeli) navy against the flotilla ships heading to the besieged Gaza Strip while they were near the Greek island of Crete,” Hamas said in a statement.

“This Zionist piracy, carried out far from Gaza’s shores, constitutes a crime and reckless behavior practiced by the (Israeli) government in full view of the world without deterrence or accountability,” it added.

Hamas called for international condemnation of the Israeli attack on civilian activists and urged action to secure the release of detained activists, and held Israel fully responsible for their safety.

The flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid, set sail two weeks ago from the Italian island of Sicily, with a total of 58 vessels aiming to break Israel’s years-long blockade of Gaza.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million population on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli army launched a two-year brutal offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000 and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.