https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XPAos-Vfhc
Quds News Network || Israeli forces continue to raid and seize control of vessels participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, one of the largest pro-Gaza maritime aid missions in recent years. Organizers report that contact has been lost with 15 of the flotilla’s 58 vessels in international waters. The flotilla said Israeli forces abducted activists on board and systematically disabled several boats before retreating, “intentionally leaving hundreds of civilians stranded without power” to “face a calculated death trap at sea.”
https://x.com/gbsumudflotilla/status/2049641417216045102
Last night, about 21:00 GMT, Israeli media said that naval forces seized control of several vessels from the flotilla. Initial reports said the navy took over 7 ships out of a total of 58.
Participants stated that the mission is a large-scale humanitarian effort aimed at delivering aid and challenging the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gaza.
Organizers of the flotilla said Israeli military speedboats surrounded their vessels and identified themselves as Israeli forces. They added that soldiers pointed lasers and semi-automatic weapons at those on board and ordered them to move to the front of the boats and kneel. Activists also reported that communications systems were jammed during the interception, prompting crews to issue an SOS signal as the situation escalated.
This morning, the flotilla confirmed fifteen of the vessels abducted. Later, it said Israeli naval forces have intercepted, boarded, and systematically disabled various boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
https://twitter.com/gbsumudflotilla/status/2049712728864928054?
After smashing engines and destroying navigation arrays, the Israeli military retreated, “intentionally leaving hundreds of civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels directly in the path of a massive approaching storm.”
Furthermore, communications with multiple vessels have been jammed, severing their ability to coordinate or signal for help, it said, adding the flotilla participants “face a calculated death trap at sea.”
https://x.com/gbsumudflotilla/status/2049717141436342447?
Israel’s Foreign Ministry released a video of what it described as “approximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats of the condom flotilla … enjoying themselves aboard Israeli vessels.”
The flotilla is estimated to be some 600 nautical miles from Gaza (1,111 km), while activists said the previous furthest intercept by Israel of an aid flotilla was 72 nautical miles (133km) from the Palestinian territory.
The flotilla set sail as part of the Spring 2026 Mission, which launched on April 12 from Barcelona. The convoy included dozens of ships carrying humanitarian supplies such as food and educational materials for children in Gaza. Organizers said the mission aimed not only to deliver aid but also to break the long-standing blockade and establish a sustained humanitarian corridor into the besieged enclave.
Participants stressed that the initiative comes at a critical moment, as shifting geopolitical developments have pushed Gaza out of the global spotlight. Through this action, they seek to bring renewed international attention to the humanitarian crisis and pressure for lasting solutions.
This mission follows a previous flotilla attempt in September 2025, which Israeli forces also intercepted in international waters, kidnapping hundreds of activists before expelling them. The latest incident raises fresh concerns about freedom of navigation and the safety of civilian-led humanitarian efforts.
The flotilla’s journey unfolds against the backdrop of a worsening crisis in Gaza, where Israel has enforced a blockade since 2007. The ongoing genocide since October 2023 has devastated infrastructure and deepened humanitarian suffering, leaving severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, while hospitals and essential services struggle to function.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said in a post on social media that the flotilla was “stopped before reaching our area” and that Israeli soldiers were acting with “determination dealing with a group of delusional attention-seeking agitators”.
Gur Tsabar, a spokesperson for the Global Sumud Flotilla, described Israel’s boarding of its vessels as “a straight-up attack on unarmed civilian boats in international waters.”
Tsabar said the sea assault was taking place “hundreds of miles from Israel”, with the flotilla being “surrounded and threatened at gunpoint”.
“This is illegal under international law. Israel has no jurisdiction in these waters. Boarding these boats amounts to illegal detention – potentially kidnapping on the high seas,” said Tsabar.
“It’s critical that all governments act now. Every government has an obligation to protect the over 400 civilians on board and to uphold international law. Silence in this moment is absolute complicity.”
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