Gaza, MINA – Israeli occupation naval forces launched an assault on an international humanitarian aid flotilla bound for the besieged Gaza Strip, detaining at least 317 activists aboard multiple vessels, organizers reported on Thursday, Anadolu Agency reported.
According to the official flotilla tracker, 21 vessels were directly attacked by Israeli forces, while 19 others are believed to have been intercepted. Four vessels remain en route to Gaza despite the blockade.
The detainees, activists from more than 50 countries including Spain, Italy, Brazil, Turkey, Greece, the United States, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and France, were said to be on their way to Israel’s Ashdod Port for deportation to Europe, according to a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
The tracker also confirmed that the Mikeno vessel had entered Gaza’s territorial waters before contact was lost about 9.3 nautical miles from shore. Meanwhile, another vessel carrying Turkish activist Erdem Ozveren was reported to be less than 30 nautical miles from Gaza.
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Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli forces surrounded the convoy, jamming signals and cutting communication lines on board. Activists shared footage on social media showing naval boats approaching the aid mission and ordering ships to divert course.
The International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza declared a state of emergency, reporting that Israeli naval units rammed vessels, used water cannons, and forcibly boarded ships while “brutally mistreating peaceful detainees.”
Amnesty International and other global organizations had earlier urged Israel not to attack the flotilla, while the United Nations warned that such an assault would be unacceptable.
The flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid and medical supplies, set sail at the end of August with 532 civilian supporters from more than 45 countries. It marks the largest maritime mission in years attempting to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has been in place for nearly 18 years.
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Israel has tightened restrictions since March, blocking food and medicine deliveries, a policy rights groups say has deepened famine conditions in the enclave. Since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, with the UN warning Gaza is being rendered uninhabitable. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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