Global Sumud Flotilla: Latest Bid To Break Gaza Blockade Drew Activists From Across the World
Israeli forces have intercepted an international flotilla carrying activists seeking to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, and have detained dozens of people.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, said most of its vessels were intercepted or assumed intercepted after communication with those on board was lost by Thursday morning in an Israeli operation that began the night before.
Around 500 activists from 47 countries participated in the flotilla, according to organisers.
Macron calls on Israel to 'respect' international law
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called on Israeli authorities to “respect” international law regarding the Gaza aid flotilla and to ensure that French nationals aboard the boats are “protected”.
“We ask that all our compatriots who have made this choice – a commitment in the face of a situation that we have denounced in an official manner and in response to which we are taking action and wish to continue to take action – be protected,” said Macron.
Speaking at a press briefing following an EU summit in Copenhagen, Macron stressed that “all the rules must be respected” and that French nationals on board the flotilla “must be protected”.
He added that he was following the situation “extremely closely” with other concerned European partners, particular Italy and Spain.
“Nothing can justify operations that do not comply with international law,” said Macron.
Echoing Macron’s call, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded the “immediate” repatriation of six Mexican members of the Gaza flotilla intercepted by Israel in the Mediterranean.
“They must be released immediately because they have committed no crime. They must be repatriated immediately and we, of course, must provide them with all the necessary support,” Sheinbaum said at her morning press conference.
She said the Mexican activists are in the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, where Mexican consular support has been unable to reach them. Her government has sent four diplomatic notes to Israel regarding the matter, Sheinbaum added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also said her government would “do everything in our power” to ensure that 40 Italian citizens on board the flotilla can return to Italy as soon as possible.
“That said (...) I still believe that none of this benefits the Palestinian people,” she added.
“I understand that this is causing a lot of inconvenience for the Italian people,” she continued, referring to the call for a general strike by the main Italian unions on Friday after the flotilla was intercepted.
Targeted by drones on the journey
Since setting sail from Spain in early September, participants had reported three separate instances of being targeted by drones during the flotilla's journey toward Gaza. Spain and Italy sent their navies to escort the flotilla for a part of its journey, but had urged activists to turn back and avoid confrontation with Israel.
The nearly 2-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has led to a humanitarian catastrophe in the territory that has seen much of it reduced to rubble. The world’s leading authority on the food crisis has declared famine in Gaza City, the enclave's largest city.
Activists hope their actions will focus attention on the Palestinians' plight. The flotilla is the largest attempt, in terms of the number of boats, to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza, which has now lasted 18 years, long predating the current war.
Israeli navy intercepts several boats from Gaza aid flotilla
Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics consider it collective punishment.
The core vessels set sail from Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 1, heading east across the Mediterranean Sea, and were joined by other boats along the way. The flotilla includes larger vessels providing support and provisions for the smaller sailboats.
Among the participants are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, and several European lawmakers. Activists include military veterans, doctors, clergy and lawyers, and come from a range of countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Israeli vessels approached the boats while they sailed in international waters during the night, spraying some with water canons and flashing bright lights before Israeli forces boarded them and detained the activists. Some of the flotilla boats managed to maintain live streams on social media accounts during the interception.
Organisers said an estimated 443 participants were detained. They included Thunberg, Colau, and European Parliament member Rima Hassan.
Israel’s foreign ministry posted photos and videos of the activists, saying on X that they were “safe and in good health” and would be transferred to Israel for deportation.
Several countries, including Italy, Greece, France and Spain, said consular support was being provided to their nationals.
Israel had repeatedly criticised the aid initiative and accused some flotilla leaders of links to Hamas, an accusation the activists strongly reject. It had warned that the boats would not be allowed to reach Gaza.
Supporters of the flotilla took to the streets in several major cities following the news of the interception – including Rome, Istanbul, Athens and Buenos Aires – to decry Israeli actions and the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza.
More protests were expected later Thursday, while Italy’s largest union called for a one-day general strike on Friday.
Several countries, including Turkey, Colombia, Pakistan and Malaysia, condemned Israel’s interception of the flotilla. Turkey’s foreign ministry described it as an “act of terrorism,” while Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro announced his government would expel Israel’s diplomatic delegation and terminate his country's Free Trade Agreement with Israel.
Italy and France said they were working with Israeli diplomatic authorities to ensure their citizens were transferred to land and deported home swiftly and peacefully, while Greece said it was providing consular assistance to the 27 Greeks involved.
Organisers have said the flotilla was targeted three times by drones: twice in Tunisia on Sept. 8 and 9, and once while sailing south of Greece last week.
In that last attack, the flotilla said it was targeted during the night by “unidentified drones and communications jamming”. Activists said “at least 13 explosions” were heard on and around several flotilla boats. No casualties were reported, but some boats suffered damage.
It was not the first time activists trying to break Israel's Gaza blockade have come under attack.
Another vessel said it was attacked by drones in May in international waters off Malta. An overland convoy traveling across North Africa also attempted to reach the border but was blocked by security forces aligned with Egypt in eastern Libya.
In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, a boat participating in an aid flotilla attempting to breach the maritime blockade of Gaza. Nine Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American on board were killed. The last time an activist boat succeeded in reaching the strip was in 2008.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 others hostage. Israel says its offensive is aimed at pressuring Hamas to surrender and return the remaining 48 hostages, about 20 of whom Israel believes are still alive. Most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals.
The Israeli offensive has killed at least 66,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. It does not say how many were civilians or combatants, but says around half were women and children.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government. Its figures are seen as a reliable estimate of wartime deaths by UN agencies and many independent experts.
(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)
Spread the word