Activists arrested Israel stops 20 Gaza aid ships
The Israeli navy has intercepted more than 20 ships from an international Gaza aid flotilla in the Mediterranean and arrested dozens of activists. According to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, around 175 activists were "peacefully" brought to Israel.
30.04.2026, 10:17
30.04.2026, 11:08
SDA
The "Global Sumud Flotilla", on the other hand, spoke of a "violent operation in international waters". Marines boarded several boats and "systematically put them out of action".
The operation took place west of the Greek island of Crete, which is around 1,000 kilometers from Israel as the crow flies. An intervention had been expected, but the timing and distance came as a surprise. Israeli media reported that the flotilla was stopped early due to its size.
Serious accusations by the organizers
The organizers accused Israel of destroying engines and navigation systems. In addition, civilians were left behind on damaged, unmaneuverable ships. This had happened despite an approaching storm. Communication links had also been disrupted.
The army only commented on this briefly. It referred to the enforcement of the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, which Israel justified with security considerations. They were acting in accordance with the instructions of the political leadership.
Participants reported that military speedboats had approached at night. Soldiers had pointed lasers and semi-automatic weapons at them. They were forced to go to the bow and get down on their hands and knees.
Pro-Palestinian activists wanted to break the Gaza blockade
The aid flotilla set sail from Sicily on Sunday. On board were activists from numerous countries. The organizers spoke of the largest mission of its kind to date. Israel accused the organizers of having collaborated with the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas, which still controls around half of the coastal strip, during the preparations.
The aim of the aid flotilla was to break the sea blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has been in place since 2007. At the same time, relief supplies were to be brought to the area, which has been largely devastated by more than two years of war. The initiative also calls for a permanent humanitarian corridor.
Israel has always prevented similar attempts in the past. An earlier trip by the flotilla last fall was also stopped.
