Spanish boats intercepted and reportedly sabotaged near Crete as Israel detains 175 activists from Global Sumud Flotilla
A convoy of aid vessels bound for Gaza, including many from Spain, has been halted in international waters
A flotilla of vessels attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza has been intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near the Greek island of Crete, with around 175 activists detained, according to Israeli authorities.
The operation involved part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), an international humanitarian initiative made up of dozens of vessels and hundreds of participants from multiple countries. Organisers said at least 22 boats were intercepted in the early hours of Thursday April 30, while Israeli officials confirmed that activists from more than 20 vessels had been taken into custody and were being transported to Israel.
The flotilla had set sail just over two weeks ago, the Spanish boats departing from Barcelona with the stated aim of challenging Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid to those on the ground. In total, organisers said the mission involved up to 70 vessels and around 500 people, with boats also joining from France and Italy. The next scheduled stop was Crete before continuing towards Gaza.
According to tracking data shared by the GSF, many of the remaining vessels were sailing close to the south-western coast of Crete at the time of the interceptions.
Organisers claim the flotilla was operating in international waters, approximately 600 nautical miles from Gaza. Reports from the crew of the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise placed some of the incidents around 45 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Kythira.
In statements released during the incident, the GSF accused Israeli forces of boarding vessels unlawfully, describing the operation as “piracy” and alleging that civilians had been “aggressively abducted”. The group said communications were disrupted during the operation, including distress channels, which it argued placed those on board at risk.
Further details from those involved indicate that the flotilla received a radio warning from a transmitter identifying itself as the Israeli Navy, instructing the vessels to change course. This was followed by reported interference affecting multiple communication systems, including VHF maritime channels used for emergency signals and coordination, as well as satellite navigation and communications networks. At one stage, organisers said contact had been lost with several boats.
Greenpeace, which provided logistical support via its vessel Arctic Sunrise, has called on governments to intervene to ensure the flotilla’s safe passage. A spokesperson on board said humanitarian aid efforts must be protected and urged international action to uphold what it described as international law obligations.
Israel, however, rejected the characterisation of the flotilla as a humanitarian mission. The Israeli foreign ministry described the convoy as a “PR stunt” and “a provocation without humanitarian aid”. It alleged that the initiative was linked to Hamas and intended to undermine ongoing political efforts related to Gaza.
Sumud is an Arabic word meaning “steadfastness” or “firmness”, mainly used in the context of the Palestinian attitude of persistent, nonviolent resistance against oppression and occupation.
Israeli officials stated that naval forces issued warnings to the vessels and intercepted those that did not comply. A video released by the foreign ministry appeared to show detained activists being transferred aboard Israeli ships, with authorities saying they were being taken to Israel “peacefully”.
Israel maintains that its naval blockade of Gaza and its actions at sea comply with international law.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council recently rejected a motion by Spain to apply strict trade restrictions on Israel to hobble its economic ability to continue its war in Gaza and missile attacks.
The latest incident follows a similar operation last October, when Israeli forces stopped another flotilla organised by the same movement. On that occasion, more than 470 people were detained and later deported, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The Global Sumud Flotilla website maintains a live feed to monitor the positions of the fleet using an online tracking system, and supporters claim that the more people who view the tracker, the more pressure there will be on Israel to comply with international law. The GSF live tracker can be found at www.globalsumudflotilla.org/tracker.
Images: Greenpeace
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