US EditionIsrael intercepts Gaza flotilla near Crete and detains 175 activists
Israeli forces detained about 175 activists as the flotilla tried to break the Gaza blockade and deliver humanitarian aid, organizers said.
- On Thursday, April 30, 2026, Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near Crete, detaining approximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats and transporting them to Israel.
- Organizers launched the mission from Barcelona on April 12 to challenge Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip; Israeli officials dismissed the fleet as a 'PR stunt' orchestrated by Hamas to sabotage peace plans.
- Activists reported military speedboats approached their vessels while jamming communications, pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons at participants. Global Sumud Flotilla organizers denounced the operation as 'an act of piracy' in violation of international law.
- Turkey's foreign ministry condemned the seizure as 'an act of piracy,' while governments including Australia and New Zealand urgently sought information on detained nationals from Israeli authorities.
- Following a similar interception in October 2025 that detained hundreds of activists, this operation reflects Israel's established enforcement pattern, while the ongoing blockade restricts aid access for around 2 million Gaza residents.
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208 Articles
Activists say Israeli forces intercepted Gaza aid flotilla near Crete, detaining crews
Activists attempting to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza say Israeli forces have intercepted their flotilla near the southern Greek island of Crete. The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail earlier this month from Barcelona. Organizers say over 70 boats and…
They are militants of the Left Front, who were traveling on one of the ships captured by the Israeli army.Worried about the whereabouts of some ships that were disabled by the engine and left adrift.
Israel intercepts Gaza aid ships in international waters, organizers say
Israel has intercepted aid ships bound for Gaza in international waters near Greece, flotilla organizers said on Thursday, decrying the move as an "escalation of Israel's impunity."
The live with the latest live news about Israel's abduction of the Flotilla on its way to Gaza
Activists on dozens of ships trying to break through Israel's naval blockade of Gaza to deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid say they were intercepted and several people detained by Israeli forces while the flotilla was more than 1,000 kilometers from Gaza, near the Greek island of Crete.
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