Israeli Navy Attacks Gaza Aid Flotilla, Detains Hundreds of Activists
Amnesty International called the Israeli interception of the Sumud Flotilla “a dangerous escalation that violates international law."
A view of Turkish Red Crescent providing food and medical aid to the Global Sumud Flotilla, which sets sail to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza, on September 29, 2025. Photo by Anadolu Images.
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sraeli naval forces attacked an international aid flotilla bound for the besieged Gaza Strip late Wednesday, detaining hundreds of activists from around the world and seizing multiple ships carrying humanitarian supplies in what organizers condemned as a “violent act of piracy on international waters.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla, organized by the International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG), said that Israeli forces surrounded the convoy of ships as it approached the Gaza coast and launched a coordinated raid after jamming communications.
According to the ICBSG, at least 19 ships were intercepted, including the Alma, Sirius, Adara, and Deir Yassin. The flotilla, carrying more than 500 activists from 50 countries, was attempting to deliver food, medical supplies, and construction materials to Gaza, where Israel’s 18-year blockade has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“We are being attacked right now by the Zionist army,” the committee posted on X. “Some ships have already been intercepted. A state of emergency has been declared aboard all vessels. Cameras are offline, and military personnel have boarded our ships.”
Brutal mistreatment reported
Organizers accused Israeli forces of using excessive violence during the operation, saying naval units deployed water cannons, sound grenades, and rammed at least one vessel before storming several others.
“The Israeli navy has forcibly boarded our ships, beaten and handcuffed volunteers, and confiscated cameras and communication equipment,” the group said in a statement. “Peaceful detainees from over 50 countries are being brutally mistreated.”
Eyewitnesses on board the Adara said Israeli commandos descended from helicopters and used stun grenades before detaining the crew.
“They came out of nowhere,” said Swedish activist Anna Lund, speaking to journalists via a satellite phone before her signal was lost. “They shouted orders, fired warning shots into the air, and began seizing people. We were unarmed, carrying aid, not weapons.”
At least 200 activists have been detained so far, the ICBSG said. The Israeli military confirmed that “a number of foreign nationals” were being transferred to the port of Ashdod, in southern Israel, for questioning and that the aid cargo would be “inspected for security threats” before any items could enter Gaza.
Flotilla stopped 80 miles from Gaza
The flotilla was reportedly less than 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) from Gaza’s shore when it was intercepted. Activists had earlier spotted more than 20 Israeli naval boats shadowing the convoy, demanding that it divert course to Ashdod.
The raid took place beyond Israel’s self-declared naval blockade zone, raising legal concerns about the operation’s legitimacy.
“This is clearly a violation of international maritime law,” said Professor Ahmed Soueif, a maritime law expert at the University of Cairo. “The flotilla was in international waters and carrying declared humanitarian cargo. Intercepting it constitutes an illegal act of aggression.”
Livestream footage broadcast from several ships before communications were cut showed activists donning life jackets and chanting “Free Gaza!” as Israeli boats closed in.
“They told us to turn back or face consequences,” said Spanish volunteer Carlos Martínez, one of the last to transmit from the Sirius. “Then our signal went dead.”
International condemnation mounts
The attack sparked widespread international outrage, with human rights groups and several governments demanding Israel immediately release the detained activists and allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza.
Amnesty International called the interception “a dangerous escalation that violates international law,” urging Israel to “protect the rights of humanitarian workers and refrain from the use of excessive force.”
The United Nations Human Rights Office also weighed in, warning that “any interference with humanitarian relief operations in international waters is unacceptable.”
In Geneva, UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the incident “underscores the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where the population faces famine, disease, and mass displacement.”
In Istanbul, thousands of protesters gathered outside the Israeli Consulate, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “End the siege on Gaza!” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the raid as “an act of barbarism,” saying Ankara would raise the issue at the UN Security Council.
“History has repeated itself,” Erdoğan said in a televised statement. “The world cannot remain silent as humanitarian workers are assaulted on the high seas. Israel must be held accountable for these crimes.”
Calls for accountability
International activists who participated in the flotilla said their mission was “purely humanitarian.”
“We were carrying medicine, food, and hope,” said French activist Leila Bonnet, who managed to send an audio message before being detained. “They can arrest us, but they cannot arrest compassion.”
As of early Thursday, Israeli media said the operation to seize the flotilla was still ongoing. Channel 13 reported that some detained activists would be deported within 48 hours, while others faced legal proceedings for “attempting to breach Israel’s naval security zone.”
The UN’s World Food Program has warned that starvation is widespread, with entire neighborhoods flattened and infrastructure in ruins. Israel’s closure of border crossings in March 2025 further restricted the flow of aid, worsening the famine.
Global outrage is growing as rights groups call for an independent international investigation into the assault.
“This was not just an attack on ships,” said ICBSG spokesperson Zaher Birawi. “It was an attack on humanity itself — on those trying to end the genocide in Gaza.”
(Source: Anadolu Agency)
