KEY POINTS
- Israeli navy intercepts Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla.
- Around 45 boats, 500 activists and politicians on board.
- Vessels include Alma and Sirius, both confronted at sea.
- Israel says flotilla is “provocation” and violating blockade.
GAZA: The Israeli navy intercepted the flotilla of boats carrying aid and activists towards Gaza on Wednesday, with organisers saying warships surrounded several vessels and cut off live broadcasts as they neared the blockaded Palestinian territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of about 45 civilian boats and nearly 500 people, set sail from Spain last month in a bid to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Among those aboard were Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, French-Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan, and South African MP Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela.
Organisers said that Israeli naval forces confronted two of the flotilla’s main ships, the Alma and the Sirius, after warning the group it was entering a “combat zone” off Gaza.
“Some of the ships were surrounded by military vessels. Others lost internet connection,” flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukesh told Al Jazeera from Athens, adding that the activists had been warned it was “illegal to provide humanitarian aid through this route”.
A statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla’s official channels said the mission’s “vessels are being illegally intercepted”.
“Cameras are offline and vessels have been boarded by military personnel. We are actively working to confirm the safety and status of all participants on board,” the statement said.
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the navy had contacted the flotilla, urging it to “change course” and describing the mission as an act of “provocation”.
“Israel has informed the flotilla that it is approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade,” the ministry said in a statement.
The sole purpose of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla is provocation. Israel, Italy, Greece, and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem have all offered and continue to offer the flotilla a way to peacefully deliver any aid they might have to Gaza. The flotilla refused because they are not… pic.twitter.com/pLQj1FLIPA
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 1, 2025
The Israeli Foreign Ministry released a video purportedly showing an Israeli navy officer telling the flotilla to change its course to the Israeli port of Ashdod, “where the aid will undergo a security inspection” before being transferred to Gaza.
But the Global Sumud Flotilla released its own video showing a response from steering committee member Thiago Avila.
“You say that we are entering an active war zone, you are saying that we are entering a place where you are committing war crimes,” said Avila.
“This is against international law. Once again, the International Court of Justice made a provisional ruling that any attempt to hinder a humanitarian mission to Gaza is prohibited by international law and [the flotilla] is complying with the request to make you accountable for the crime of genocide.”
“It is our moral duty to refuse any attempt of an occupying force to control humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people in Gaza who have… the right to control their own borders,” he added. “Therefore, we do not recognise you as a legitimate agent to bring aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said his Israeli counterpart assured him that no violence would be used against the activists.
“The boarding was planned … and it has been assured to me that there would be no violent actions,” he told Italian broadcaster Rai. He added that Italians aboard would likely be escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod before being returned.
Spain and Italy had earlier deployed naval escorts to accompany the flotilla but urged the activists to halt at Israel’s declared exclusion zone, 150 nautical miles off Gaza.
“Our message to the flotilla has been clear: do not enter that zone,” Spanish minister Oscar Lopez told public television. Italy also urged the vessels to “stop now”, with its frigate halting at the same limit.
The flotilla resumed its voyage on 15 September after a 10-day stop in Tunisia, where organisers reported drone attacks against them. Activists said Israeli ships circled their vessels in recent days, jamming radar and internet communications.
South Africa called for “utmost restraint” and warned against any unilateral actions that could “endanger human life”, while Italy and Greece appealed to Israel to guarantee the safety of those aboard.
Medical officials in Gaza said at least 65 Palestinians, including 47 in Gaza City, were killed by Israeli strikes on Wednesday. Gaza’s health ministry said the overall death toll since October 2023 had risen to 66,148, the majority women and children, with more than 168,000 wounded.
