Israeli naval forces have intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy of more than 40 civilian boats carrying around 500 participants, including parliamentarians, lawyers, activists, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, and actor Susan Sarandon, as well as aid for Gaza.
A Mexican crew member on board the flotilla, Arlin Medrano, reported in a live broadcast that a dozen Israeli military vessels were approaching the convoy in international waters, calling the interception “totally illegal” and in violation of international law.
Medrano urged the Mexican government to ensure the safety of the two Mexican citizens on board in case of interception. She said the flotilla would continue its mission even if some vessels were stopped, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza for the first time since 2007.
Organisers said the interception occurred after Israeli warships blocked communications and moved to halt the convoy. No immediate details were available regarding possible detentions or the fate of the ships.
Earlier, activists reported seeing more than a dozen Israeli vessels ahead of them and said all flotilla ships had switched to “alarm mode.”
Live footage from the Alma vessel showed crew members wearing life jackets and seated in a circle as they prepared for a possible boarding.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the flotilla was being directed toward the port of Ashdod, where aid can be unloaded and transferred to Gaza, and said Thunberg and other participants are safe.
The United Nations called for the safety and rights of those on board to be respected. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said: “We do not want anyone to get hurt, and we want people’s rights to be respected. We want to make sure everyone is safe.”
The flotilla, carrying humanitarian and medical supplies, set sail at the end of August from Genoa and Barcelona, aiming to reach Gaza. Marine tracking data placed the vessels about 150 nautical miles (278 km) from Gaza, an area considered high-risk due to previous interceptions.
The mission comes amid warnings from humanitarian agencies about severe shortages of food, medicine, and aid in Gaza, where a blockade has been in place for nearly 18 years.
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