Israeli Military Intercepts Gaza Aid Flotilla

Israeli military forces have begun intercepting vessels participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian aid mission attempting to reach Gaza, according to organizers and Israeli media. The interceptions, utilizing jamming technology and armed boarding teams, are occurring in the Mediterranean Sea, hundreds of miles from Israeli shores.

The Global Sumud Flotilla aid mission reported on Thursday that their boats were approached by Israeli military speedboats identifying themselves as “Israel.” Activists allege that they were ordered to the front of the boats and to kneel, while lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons were pointed at them. “Boat communications are being jammed, and a SOS was issued,” the organization stated.

Israel Army Radio cited an Israeli source stating that the military had begun seizing control of the aid ships well before they reached Israeli territorial waters. As of Thursday, naval forces had captured seven of the 58 vessels in the Global Sumud Flotilla near the Greek island of Crete.

A spokesperson for the Global Sumud Flotilla described Israel’s actions as “a straight-up attack on unarmed civilian boats in international waters.” Press officer Gur Tsabar, speaking from Toronto, Canada, asserted that the interceptions are “illegal under international law,” arguing that Israel has no jurisdiction in the waters where the boarding occurred. “Boarding these boats amounts to illegal detention – potentially kidnapping on the high seas,” Tsabar said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, which has been under blockade. This incident follows a similar interception in October 2025, when Israeli forces intercepted a nine-vessel flotilla carrying food and medical supplies. At that time, Israel stated the fleet was stopped to prevent a breach of the “legal naval blockade” and entry into a “combat zone.”

The October 2025 interception involved 150 passengers from various countries, including Turkey, which condemned the intervention as a “grave violation of international law” and “an act of piracy.” Almost all of those passengers were deported, with six reportedly remaining in detention at the time of reporting.

Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, Israel has maintained a naval blockade of Gaza. According to the territory’s health ministry, at least 67,183 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since that date.