Israeli Navy Seizes Gaza Aid Flotilla, Kidnaps Hundreds of International Activists
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israeli naval forces stormed an international aid flotilla bound for Gaza, kidnapping more than 200 activists from dozens of countries in a violent operation that organizers condemned as a blatant assault on humanitarian efforts.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli warships surrounded and intercepted vessels sailing toward the blockaded enclave late Wednesday, cutting communications and jamming signals as the convoy neared Gaza.
The International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG) confirmed Israeli raids on 19 ships, including the Alma, Sirius, Adara, and Deir Yassin.
Videos posted online showed Israeli boats closing in and ordering the convoy to divert course.
“We are being attacked right now by the Zionist army,” the ICBSG said on social media platform X.
“Some ships have already been intercepted, and a state of emergency has been declared aboard all vessels.
High Alert. Our vessels are being illegally intercepted. Cameras are offline, and vessels have been boarded by military personnel.”
The ICBSG said activists from more than 50 countries were targeted, with many dragged from vessels and detained under force.
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed detentions and said the flotilla was ordered to divert to the southern port of Ashdod for inspection.
Channel 13 reported the operation would continue through Thursday.
The flotilla was within 80 nautical miles of Gaza when intercepted.
Activists counted more than 20 Israeli naval vessels approaching, clearly intent on blocking the convoy.
Footage from the scene showed passengers donning life vests as the Israeli navy closed in.
The raid came despite appeals from rights groups and international bodies, including Amnesty International, which urged Israel not to attack the humanitarian convoy.
The United Nations had warned that any assault on the aid mission would be unacceptable.
This was the first time in years that more than 50 ships sailed together toward Gaza, carrying 532 supporters and humanitarian cargo, mostly medical supplies.
The flotilla departed at the end of August to challenge Israel’s near-18-year blockade of Gaza, where 2.4 million Palestinians remain trapped under siege conditions.
Since October 2023, Israeli air and ground bombardments have killed more than 66,100 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
The blockade, tightened further in March with food and medicine barred, has driven Gaza into famine, with the UN warning of catastrophic conditions and mass civilian suffering.
