Netanyahu Claims Success in Halting Global Sumud Flotilla
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday that Israeli commando forces have “stopped” ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla to prevent them from reaching Gaza. According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, Israel began intercepting the vessels on Monday morning in international waters, approximately 250 nautical miles from the Gaza coast.
Activists and medical personnel set sail from the coast of Marmaris, Turkey, last Thursday with more than 50 ships as part of the humanitarian fleet. This mission represents the third attempt to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza while delivering aid to the Palestinian population.
“We have stopped the flotilla heading to the terrorists in Gaza,” Netanyahu wrote via Telegram. According to Xinhua, Netanyahu also released video footage of himself speaking with the commander of the Israeli naval commando forces during the ship seizure operation. In the video, Netanyahu appears to be monitoring the operation from a military headquarters in Tel Aviv, ordering the commander to “continue until completion.”
He described the flotilla as a “malicious plan to breach the isolation we have imposed on Hamas militants in Gaza.” Netanyahu is currently subject to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding allegations of orchestrating genocide in Gaza.
The interception was reported by the sailing committee on Monday morning. “Military ships are currently intercepting our fleet, and forces (Israel) have begun boarding our first ship in broad daylight,” the Global Sumud Flotilla stated via the X platform. “We demand a safe passage for our legitimate and non-violent humanitarian mission,” the statement continued.
Live broadcasts from several ships showed commando forces boarding the vessels while activists sat on the decks with their hands raised. Earlier on Monday, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that activists “change course and return immediately,” condemning the flotilla as a “provocation.”
A previous flotilla, consisting of approximately 20 ships and 175 activists, was also intercepted by Israeli forces on 30 April near the southern Greek island of Crete. Two activists were detained for several days before being released, while dozens of others reported mistreatment, violence, and physical assault by Israeli forces.
The fleet, which carries aid and medical personnel, stated its goal is to draw international attention to the dire conditions in Gaza, where much of the enclave has been destroyed by war. Gaza health authorities have recorded at least 72,763 deaths and 172,664 injuries resulting from Israeli attacks since October 2023.