Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla off Greek coast, activists say

Activists trying to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza said Thursday that Israeli forces intercepted 22 vessels of their flotilla near the Greek island of Crete and detained their crews.  

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said its vessels were “abducted,” with Israeli naval forces intercepting and boarding their boats.

“After smashing engines and destroying navigation arrays, the military retreated — intentionally leaving hundreds of civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels directly in the path of a massive approaching storm,” the group posted on X.

“This is piracy,” the group said in a separate statement. “This is the unlawful seizure of human beings on the open sea near Crete, an assertion that Israel can operate with total impunity, far beyond its own borders, with no consequences.”

The GSF claims CCTV footage from the early hours of Thursday morning shows one of the boat seizures, and activists can be seen in life jackets with their hands on their heads. Voices off camera shout: “Nobody move,” “Put your hands in the air,” and “How many people are on the boat?”

Israel’s foreign ministry said that around 175 activists from more than 20 boats were “now making their way peacefully to Israel,” calling it “the condom flotilla,” a reference to the prophylactics found on a previous convoy. 

Israel described the flotilla as “another PR stunt… professional provocateurs on pleasure cruises.”

The GSF website shows that while 22 boats have been intercepted, 36 boats are still creeping their way towards Gaza, which is under Israeli naval blockade.

The flotilla boats are currently edging along the south coast of Crete.

Last October, Israeli forces stopped the GSF’s previous flotilla from reaching Gaza, arresting and deporting more than 470 people, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

In its latest situation report, the United Nations body that works on Palestine said Wednesday that Israeli “airstrikes, shelling, and gunfire” are ongoing in the strip, “resulting in civilian casualties and damage to critical facilities.”

“Widespread rodent and parasite infestations, including scabies and fleas, continue to be reported across displacement sites, driven by severe overcrowding, disrupted water, sanitation and hygiene services, and poor environmental conditions,” the bulletin added.

Ninety percent of Gaza’s population has been displaced by the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Red Cross, which has killed at least 72,562 Palestinians and more than 2,000 Israelis.