Israeli naval forces hijacked vessels belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla after the convoy set sail from Turkey toward the Gaza Strip in an attempt to challenge the Israeli blockade imposed on the territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla posted a red alert on its social media accounts, stating that Israeli forces were intercepting and boarding its Gaza-bound vessels “in broad daylight,” calling for immediate international intervention and demanding safe passage for its legal, non-violent humanitarian mission.
The flotilla accused the Israeli occupation of carrying out illegal acts of piracy to maintain the siege on Gaza.
Israeli Channel 12 subsequently confirmed that Shayetet 13, the Israeli naval commando unit, had begun taking control of the Sumud Flotilla moments after the flotilla raised an alert of a possible interception. Videos circulating online showed Israeli forces aggressively attacking the vessels and detaining several activists, according to Palestinian media reports.
Israeli reports also said that the operation of seizing and taking control of all the fleet’s ships will take several hours and may continue until tomorrow.
Gaza flotilla committee says activists detained
The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG) said its convoy heading toward the Gaza Strip was intercepted by military vessels, with activists detained and onboard cameras destroyed in an attempt to “obscure the truth.”
In an urgent press statement published on May 18, 2026, the ICBSG said its ships were engaged while en route to Gaza, accusing Israeli forces of boarding vessels and targeting surveillance equipment.
The committee called for “safe passage” for a legal and peaceful humanitarian mission aimed at breaking the “unjust blockade” on Gaza.
It urged governments worldwide to intervene immediately to stop the “acts of piracy” intended to maintain the Israeli blockade on the enclave.
The statement also called for rejecting normalization of Israeli violence and crimes, warning that such actions pose a broader threat beyond the immediate mission.
Speedboats approached the convoy
Participants aboard multiple flotilla vessels reported spotting two unidentified ships approaching the convoy west of the fleet, including one large vessel and one smaller speedboat.
Organizers added that the larger vessel resembled the Israeli ship previously involved in intercepting Gaza-bound boats near the Greek island of Crete.
The flotilla later reported visual confirmation of speedboats rapidly approaching one of the vessels, raising fears of an imminent boarding operation during daylight hours.
Flotilla sought to challenge Gaza blockade
The convoy had initially departed from Turkey carrying international activists and solidarity participants seeking to break the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza.
The flotilla set sail from Turkish waters and was heading toward Gaza, with organizers saying the vessels that departed from the coast of Antalya are maintaining their course, according to tracking data. The convoy had been around 310 nautical miles from the Gaza coast.
The fleet had previously departed on Thursday from the Turkish Mediterranean city of Marmaris, comprising 54 ships carrying activists and solidarity participants from 70 countries.
Previous interception in international waters
The seizure comes weeks after Israeli forces intercepted earlier flotilla vessels in international waters near Crete, where activists said participants were detained and boats seized while en route to Gaza.
That earlier incident involved ships carrying 345 participants from 39 countries, including Turkish nationals. According to the organizers, 175 activists were detained after more than 20 vessels were seized in international waters while en route to Gaza.
The current flotilla includes members of the Global Sumud Flotilla steering committee, among them Samira Aq Deniz Ordu, Iman al-Makhlofi, Saeed Abukeshek, Ko Tinnemwang, and Natalia Maria, alongside hundreds of international activists.
Organizers say the initiative is part of ongoing global efforts to challenge the blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007, which they say has worsened significantly since the escalation of the Israeli war in October 2023.
International and UN agencies continue to warn of severe humanitarian conditions in Gaza, citing acute shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies, alongside extensive destruction of infrastructure, health facilities, and shelters.
40 hours of calculated cruelty by ‘Israel’
After the Israeli attack on the vessels belonging to a similar campaign at the end of last month, the Global Sumud Flotilla detailed the extensive abuse its activists were subjected to after they were detained in international waters.
In a statement shared on Telegram, the group said, “Global Sumud Flotilla participants have just survived 40 hours of calculated cruelty aboard an iOF navy vessel in Greek waters.” The detained activists were denied adequate food and water and forced to sleep on floors that were deliberately and repeatedly flooded.
The flotilla added that participants were beaten, kicked, and dragged across the deck with their hands tied behind their backs. Many reportedly “suffered broken noses, cracked ribs and bloody beatings,” according to its statement.
Amid the chaos of the interception and detentions, Israeli occupation forces also opened fire and attempted to abduct two participants. According to the group, the “sheer violence” preceded and followed peaceful resistance by the participants on board.
