Politics Activists: Israeli navy stops new flotilla carrying aid to Gaza
Pro-Palestinian activists on another flotilla of ships carrying aid supplies have been stopped by the Israeli military off the coast of the Gaza Strip, according to their own statements. The group of nine ships sent across the Mediterranean by the organizations Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza had almost 150 aid workers from around 30 countries on board, the activists announced on Instagram. The boats were "attacked and intercepted" by Israeli naval units in the early morning around 220 kilometers off the coast of the Gaza Strip, according to a post on the X platform.
08.10.2025, 07:39
SDA
The Israeli Foreign Ministry published a statement shortly afterwards, according to which there was "another fruitless attempt to break through the naval blockade and enter the war zone". The ships would now be brought to an Israeli port. All crew members are "safe and in good health" and will most likely be deported immediately.
Last week, Israel's navy intercepted more than 40 boats carrying aid supplies for the Gaza Strip. Around 400 crew members from dozens of countries - including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg - were taken into custody, many of whom have since been released and deported. The organizers of the "Global Sumud Flotilla" accused the Israeli authorities of physically and psychologically abusing and humiliating several detainees and depriving them of their basic rights. Israel's government rejected such accusations as "brazen lies" and emphasized that all the rights of the detainees had been "fully respected".
Critics accuse the activists of not transporting enough aid to really help the suffering population. The activists also want to show solidarity with the Palestinians and draw attention to their situation and the closure of the Gaza Strip. In Italy, the interception of the "Global Sumud Flotilla" has mobilized many people to demonstrate.
