Israel Detains Two Flotilla Activists in Greece, Seizes Gaza-Bound Aid Ships Near Crete
Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) on Thursday, seizing 22 vessels and around 175 activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. The incident occurred in international waters, approximately 965km (600 miles) from Gaza, which remains under an Israeli naval blockade.
Organisers of the GSF condemned the interception as "piracy", asserting that Israeli forces "intercepted, boarded, and systematically disabled and destroyed various boats" during a "violent raid". They accused Israeli forces of "kidnapping participants or intentionally leaving civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels".
While most of the detained activists have since disembarked in Crete, two men, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila, are being transported to Israel. The Israeli foreign ministry stated that Abu Keshek is "suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organisation", and Ávila is "suspected of illegal activity". Both remain in Israeli custody, prompting the GSF to demand their immediate release.
Israel maintains its actions comply with international law, characterising the flotilla as a "PR stunt" and alleging it aimed to "sabotage President Trump's [Gaza] peace plan transition". The US State Department echoed this, labelling the aid flotilla a "meaningless political stunt".
Conversely, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanded the release of "all the unlawfully detained Italians", and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused Israel of "violating international law".
The current interception follows a similar incident in October, when Israel stopped another GSF flotilla and deported over 470 individuals. The GSF states its objectives include challenging Israel's "illegal blockade" and advancing a permanent humanitarian corridor to Gaza.
Despite Israeli claims of facilitating aid and stating "no limit on the amount of aid that can enter", UN Assistant Secretary General Khaled Khiari recently reported that Gaza's 2.1 million people face "ongoing and deadly Israeli strikes and dire humanitarian conditions". Essential services, including water, sanitation, and health, are "again on the brink of collapse", with food security remaining a significant challenge. Experts from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed a famine in Gaza City last August.
The conflict in Gaza, initiated by the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, has resulted in over 72,600 Palestinian fatalities, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, including 824 since a recent ceasefire began.
