Capitals, May 18 (SANA) Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla in international waters near Cyprus on Monday, detaining dozens of activists aboard vessels attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip.
Organizers of the “Global Resilience Flotilla” said on the X platform that Israeli warships intercepted the convoy and that Israeli soldiers boarded one of the vessels “in broad daylight.”
They called on governments and international organizations to intervene and ensure safe passage for the flotilla.
The organizers said the mission was humanitarian and peaceful and aimed at delivering aid to Gaza amid the continuing blockade imposed on the territory.
According to Israeli media reports, including Yedioth Ahronoth and Channel 12, Israeli naval commandos from the Shayetet 13 unit began taking control of the flotilla vessels hundreds of miles from the Israeli coast.
The reports said activists aboard the ships were transferred to an Israeli naval vessel before being taken to Ashdod port.
Israeli media also reported that around 100 activists from several countries had been detained.
Al Jazeera reported that four Israeli warships approached the flotilla and ordered the vessels to stop their engines.
A source aboard the convoy said intercepting one vessel would not end the mission or halt attempts to reach Gaza.
The source added that a team of lawyers was monitoring the situation to document any potential violations in international waters for possible legal action before international courts.
The flotilla departed Thursday from the Turkish port of Marmaris with 54 vessels carrying doctors, lawyers, rights activists and journalists from around 70 countries.
Organizers said the lead vessel, Family, served as the flotilla’s central operations hub coordinating the movement of participating boats.
Israeli media had earlier reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held security consultations on how to respond to the flotilla before it reached regional waters.
The incident has drawn comparisons to the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, when Israeli forces boarded a Turkish aid ship in international waters, leading to deaths, injuries and a diplomatic crisis between Türkiye and Israel.
The flotilla initiative is part of repeated attempts by international activists to challenge the blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007.
R.RK
