In a dramatic show of force on the Mediterranean Sea, Israeli naval units boarded a flotilla bound for Gaza, detaining Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and hundreds of international activists. The convoy of over 40 civilian vessels, carrying medicine, food and some 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and campaigners, was diverted to an Israeli port.
Video footage released by the Israeli foreign ministry showed Thunberg seated on a deck surrounded by soldiers. "Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port," the ministry said on X, adding that "Greta and her friends are safe and healthy."
Organizers condemned the raid as a "war crime," saying forces used water cannons and scrambled onboard communications, though no injuries were reported. Seven boats were intercepted about 70 nautical miles off Gaza, inside a zone Israel enforces to prevent vessels approaching the enclave.
Governments and activists around the world reacted swiftly. Türkiye’s foreign ministry labeled the operation "an act of terror," while Spain and Italy issued calls for the protection of civilians. Spontaneous protests erupted in Italian cities, and Ireland’s foreign minister warned the mission was peacefully highlighting a "horrific humanitarian catastrophe." Colombia even expelled all remaining Israeli diplomats in protest.
This mission marks the latest bid to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, imposed since 2007. Previous sea attempts have ended in violence or detention, notably the 2010 raid that cost nine lives. Last week, drones struck flotilla vessels with stun grenades and itching powder, causing damage but no injuries.
Despite Israel’s offer to deliver aid through official channels, the flotilla’s organizers remain undeterred, vowing to continue their campaign to spotlight Gaza’s crisis. With Gaza health authorities reporting over 65,000 casualties, activists say such missions are crucial to raising global awareness—and pressure—for sustained humanitarian access.
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Israeli military intercepts Gaza aid flotilla, detains Greta Thunberg
cgtn.com
