Israel Attacks Resilience Flotilla Near Crete, Seizes 21 Ships and Detains Activists

Israeli forces attacked and seized ships of the Resilience Flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip in international waters near the Greek island of Crete, according to multiple reports.

“The Israeli Navy attacked ships of الأسطول الصمود heading to the Gaza Strip and took control of some of its ships while it was still in the area of the island of Crete in international waters far from the shores of the Palestinian territory”

Al-Jazeera Net

In the early hours of Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces carried out a “sea-piracy operation” against the flotilla’s ships in international waters, with IDF Radio reporting the seizure of 21 ships out of 58 participating, and stating the takeover occurred “within a few hours early in the morning without recording any extraordinary incidents or injuries.”

Al-Jazeera Net

Al-Jazeera Net reported that the Israeli Navy attacked ships of الأسطول الصمود and took control of some of its ships while still in the area of the island of Crete in international waters far from the shores of Palestinian territory, and it said the Army Radio reported the seizure of 21 ships participating.

Al-Jazeera Net also said that later the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated the Navy is transporting 175 activists who were on the ships it seized to Israel.

The reports also described the operational distance from Israel, with IDF Radio and Al-Jazeera Net both citing that the operation took place at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers from the Israeli coasts.

Shifting details emerged across the accounts: Al-Jazeera Net said Israeli media reported that the navy had seized 7 ships out of 58 so far, while the other reports emphasized the 21 ships figure.

The flotilla’s own communications described an ongoing interception, with Al-Jazeera Net quoting that the flotilla said fast military boats approached and that activists were ordered to move to the fronts of the ships and kneel, and it also said the flotilla announced communications were being jammed.

The reports framed the interception as both geographically distant and operationally scaled, citing the flotilla’s size and the distance from Israeli shores.

Al-Jazeera Net said the Army Radio explained that the operation was carried out at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers from the Israeli coasts, and it added that the Israeli army would resume the attack on the remaining ships if they did not comply with Israeli orders to turn back.

Dunya Al-Watan

It also quoted a military source saying the decision to implement the seizure operation away from Gaza was due to the flotilla’s size, “as it includes about 100 boats and 1,000 activists.”

Al-Jazeera Net further reported that the Army Radio said the navy blocked the way for the flotilla near Crete and ordered it via loudspeakers to change course and not continue sailing toward the Gaza Strip.

The same outlet described how Israeli media reported the seizure count as 7 ships out of 58 so far, while also noting that the operation was still ongoing.

Al-Jazeera Net said the iNews 24 security source reported the navy began interception of the flotilla near Crete in Greece, and it said the Walla site cited sources that some of the flotilla ships would likely be towed to the port of Ashdod.

In parallel, دنيا الوطن reported that the operation was “aimed at enabling the interception of the remaining ships later,” describing the current phase as preliminary and including taking control of part of the flotilla with the possibility of resuming operations against the remaining ships if their routes were not resumed.

Beyond the seizure counts, the reports described interference with communications and direct boarding actions during the interception near Crete.

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Al-Jazeera Net said the Global أسطول الصمود announced that Israeli forces were “currently jamming communications of the participating boats,” and it added that activists issued a distress signal.

It stated that the flotilla said communications were cut with “11 ships taking part,” while Israeli media said seven boats were intercepted during the ongoing operation at sea.

Al-Jazeera Net also included a statement on X in which the flotilla said “fast military boats belonging to the Israeli navy approached the boats of the flotilla,” and it added that those boats “fired laser beams and semi-automatic assault weapons toward the boats” and issued orders “for the activists to move to the fronts of the ships and kneel.”

The same report said video footage showed Israeli forces storming one of the ships of الأسطول الصمود near the Greek island of Crete.

It also described the flotilla’s earlier communications, saying that the world الصمود flotilla had spoken late on Wednesday evening about most of its boats being jammed as they continued to sail in the Mediterranean toward the Gaza Strip to break the blockade.

dنيا الوطن similarly said that Israeli forces stormed one of the Resilience Flotilla’s boats near the Greek island of Crete, and it added that the Resilience Flotilla Global announced that its ships are being jammed off the coast of Greece and that unidentified warships are approaching.

The flotilla’s representatives and steering committee members described the interception as an attempt to obstruct humanitarian aid and framed it in terms of international law.

In دنيا الوطن, Rana Hamida, spokesperson for the Resilience Flotilla and a member of the Steering Committee, said Israeli occupation authorities had halted a number of ships from the flotilla “in an attempt to obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.”

Dunya Al-Watan

Hamida stated in a press statement that the flotilla’s ships are “fully committed to the rules of international law,” and she said the occupation’s interception “constitutes a flagrant violation of all international covenants.”

She explained that what the flotilla carries is limited to “essential food and medical aid,” and she denied the occupation’s claims, describing them as “slander and lies.”

dنيا الوطن also quoted the members of the flotilla’s Steering Committee stressing that participants are “ready to sacrifice themselves to break the blockade on Gaza,” and it said the mission is “peaceful and humanitarian par excellence,” aiming to “save civilians from the ongoing war of starvation.”

Al-Jazeera Net similarly reported that the flotilla called on governments around the world to act immediately to protect the participants and hold Israel accountable for “grave violations of international law,” in addition to “the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Al-Jazeera Net also included a statement that an activist aboard the flotilla said “seven warships and drones intervened to intercept the flotilla.”

The immediate next steps described in the reports center on whether the remaining ships comply with Israeli orders and what happens to seized vessels and activists.

“The Israeli occupation forces carried out, in the early hours of Thursday, a sea-piracy operation against the ships of the Resilience Flotilla in international waters”

Dunya Al-Watan

Al-Jazeera Net said the Army Radio confirmed that the Israeli army will resume the attack on the remaining ships of the flotilla if they do not comply with Israeli orders to turn back, and it also described loudspeaker orders near Crete to change course and not continue sailing toward the Gaza Strip.

Al-Jazeera Net

It further reported that Israeli media said some ships would likely be towed to the port of Ashdod, while also noting that the operation to seize the flotilla is still ongoing.

دنيا الوطن described the operation as preliminary, saying the takeover occurred without extraordinary incidents or injuries and that the operation was “aimed at enabling the interception of the remaining ships later,” with the possibility of resuming operations against the remaining ships if their routes were not resumed.

Al-Jazeera Net added that later the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the Navy is transporting 175 activists who were on the ships it seized to Israel, which implies a process for detainees or detained activists after the boarding.

The reports also emphasized the flotilla’s continued insistence that the mission is humanitarian and that participants are ready to “sacrifice themselves to break the blockade on Gaza,” as stated by the steering committee members in دنيا الوطن.

At the same time, the flotilla’s communications described active interference, including jamming of communications and distress signals, and Al-Jazeera Net said the flotilla called on governments around the world to act immediately to protect participants and hold Israel accountable.