Israeli forces boarded multiple vessels from a Gaza-bound flotilla in international waters west of Cyprus on Monday morning, according to activists, in the second such interception of the same fleet within a month.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said its fleet of 54 boats was being boarded roughly 250 nautical miles from Gaza, which remains under an Israeli maritime blockade. Live video broadcast on the flotilla's website showed commandos on a raiding craft approaching a sailboat just after 10:30 a.m. Cyprus time, then boarding it as passengers raised their hands.
"Military vessels are currently intercepting our fleet and [Israeli] forces are boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight," the flotilla's organizers said in a statement. "We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission. Governments must act now to stop these illegal acts or piracy meant to maintain Israel's genocidal siege on Gaza."
By later in the day, organizers said Israeli forces had intercepted 10 vessels and that contact had been lost with 23 others. Some two dozen Turkish nationals were reported to be among those on the intercepted boats.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, saying it was "effectively neutralizing a malicious plan designed to break the isolation we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza." Speaking to the commander of Israeli naval forces by radio, Netanyahu said the operation was going well. "You are doing this with great success, and I must say also quietly, and certainly with less prominence than our enemies expected - so, heartfelt congratulations," he said, according to a transcript released by his office.
Israel's foreign ministry had earlier called the flotilla a provocation rather than a genuine humanitarian mission, posting on X: "Once again, a provocation for the sake of provocation: another so-called 'humanitarian aid flotilla' with no humanitarian aid."
Turkey condemned the boarding. The Turkish foreign ministry criticized "the intervention by Israeli forces in international waters... which constitutes a new act of piracy," according to BBC News.
The flotilla's 54 boats departed the Turkish port of Marmaris last Thursday and were heading southeast toward Gaza. More than 420 activists from 39 countries were said to be taking part. The fleet had initially been larger. Last month, Israeli forces intercepted 21 boats from the same flotilla near Crete. In that incident, 181 activists were detained. Most were released on the Greek island the next day, but two were taken to Israel for questioning and deported after 10 days in custody.
