Israeli forces intercept entire Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza, hundreds of activists to be deported

The Israeli military has intercepted an entire humanitarian flotilla seeking to break its siege on war-ravaged Gaza, stopping all vessels and detaining hundreds of activists. Livestream footage on Friday morning showed Israeli forces boarding the last remaining vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla. The Polish-flagged Marinette, reportedly carrying a six-member crew, was intercepted at 10:29am local time, about 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza.

Organisers said on social media that, over 38 hours, Israeli naval forces intercepted all 42 vessels in the flotilla. Each vessel carried humanitarian aid, volunteers, and a mission to challenge what they described as Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza. The group said more than 450 volunteers had been detained, with some transferred to a large cargo vessel before being taken ashore. Israel’s Foreign Ministry had warned that any attempt to breach what it described as “an active combat zone” and its lawful naval blockade would be stopped. On 2 October, the ministry said none of the Hamas-Sumud “provocation yachts” had succeeded in breaching the blockade. It added that all passengers were safe and in good health, and would be deported to Europe. Since Wednesday, Israel’s naval forces have intercepted dozens of boats carrying aid to Gaza, detaining crews before transferring them to Israel. Among those reportedly held are prominent figures such as climate activist Greta Thunberg, former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, and Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan.

International Response

The capture of the flotilla, the largest naval aid mission yet to attempt delivery to Gaza, sparked worldwide protests, with demonstrators condemning Israel’s actions and voicing support for the activists. Governments and political leaders also issued strong reactions. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s “attack and aggression” against the flotilla, asserting that the mission had the right of free passage in international waters. Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the raid as “an act of terrorism” and a grave violation of international law, pledging to pursue the release of its citizens. Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel’s diplomatic delegation after two Colombians were detained, calling the incident a possible “new international crime” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and demanding their release. In Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the country would take all legal and diplomatic measures to hold Israel accountable, especially when its citizens were involved. “By blocking a humanitarian mission, Israel has shown utter contempt not only for the rights of the Palestinian people but also for the conscience of the world,” he said, urging the immediate release of all detained activists. The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) confirmed that 23 Malaysian volunteers have been detained.

Deportation of Activists

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said the activists would be deported after the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur ends on Thursday. According to The Times of Israel, more than 250 activists detained by the navy have already been processed by police. Authorities deployed over 600 police officers, prison officials, and immigration representatives to Ashdod Port to receive the detainees. Officials said activists underwent a “thorough inspection process” before being handed over to the Population and Immigration Authority and the Israel Prison Service. “The operation is continuing at this very moment and will continue into the night until the handling of the last boat in the flotilla is completed,” police said. The activists are set to be deported from the country.

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

The flotilla’s voyage comes against the backdrop of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In August, the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared famine in the enclave. The IPC reported that more than 514,000 people in Gaza face catastrophic levels of starvation, with the number projected to rise to 641,000 by the end of September. Famine is expected to spread south to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the IPC’s findings as “an outright lie,” insisting that Israel does not pursue a policy of starvation, pointing instead to aid deliveries during the conflict. According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 66,200 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October 2023, including at least 19,424 children.