Israeli Naval Forces Seize Global Sumud Flotilla Ships Near Crete, Prompting Spain Summons

Israeli naval forces intercepted and seized vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla’s Spring 2026 mission in international waters near Greece’s Crete, triggering protests and diplomatic action across Europe and beyond.

“Israel has intercepted 22 out of the 58 aid boats travelling through international waters and bound for the besieged Gaza Strip”

Al Jazeera

PressTV said Spain’s Foreign Ministry summoned the chargé d'affaires at the Israeli embassy in Madrid to protest the interception of the “Sumud 2” aid convoy and the abduction of pro-Palestine activists, with the Spanish Foreign Ministry announcing it had summoned Dana Erlich to convey its “strongest condemnation.”

Al Jazeera

PressTV also said Israeli naval forces targeted vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla’s Spring 2026 mission “off the coast of Greece in the Mediterranean Sea,” and that organizers of the largest humanitarian aid flotilla trying to reach the besieged strip announced that “211 activists have been kidnapped in the attack.”

Al Jazeera reported that Israel “kidnapped” 211 of the 400 activists taking part in the flotilla, while Israel’s Foreign Ministry had earlier put the number of those detained at 175.

NBC News, citing the ships’ tracker published on the activist group’s website, said “22 vessels were intercepted in international waters west of the southern Greek island of Crete,” while “a further 36 were still sailing midday on Thursday.”

The Times of India reported that Netanyahu said Israel had “successfully intercepted and turned back a Gaza-bound flotilla,” adding “No ship and no Hamas supporter reached our territory, and not even our territorial waters.”

In the same dispute over numbers and geography, WION said Israeli forces boarded the vessels “almost 1000 kms away from Israel's territorial waters near the Greek island of Crete,” and that “Around 22 of 58 vessels were intercepted.”

The incident quickly became a contest over how many people were seized and where they were taken, with different outlets citing different figures and processes.

PressTV said organizers announced “211 activists have been kidnapped in the attack,” while WION said “approximately 175–211 activists were detained,” and Al Jazeera said Israel’s Foreign Ministry had earlier put the number of those detained at 175.

Anadolu Ajansı

WION said the activists were “detained and taken to Ketziot prison, a facility often associated with the torture of the detainees,” while Anadolu Ajansı said Israel’s Foreign Ministry reported that naval forces intercepted “more than 20 vessels” near Crete and detained “around 175 activists.”

CNN Arabic said the incident occurred “in waters east of the Greek island of Crete, about 700 miles (1,130 kilometers) from the Israeli coast,” and described the Global Resilience Fleet’s account that Israeli boats “disrupted communications — including distress channels — and aggressively abducted civilians.”

In the official Israeli framing, the Times of India quoted Netanyahu saying the mission was executed with “complete success,” and that “They were turned back and will return to their countries of origin.”

NBC News reported that Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it was taking about “175 activists from more than 20 boats,” and that Foreign Minister Gideon Saar later wrote on X that the activists would be transferred to Greece in coordination with Greek authorities.

Amid the conflicting detention numbers, Al Jazeera also reported that Italy called for the immediate release of Italian nationals and that ANSA cited sources among the organisers saying “24 Italians had been detained,” while Israel’s Foreign Ministry had earlier put the number detained at 175.

Across the diplomatic spectrum, governments and rights advocates framed the interception as either a violation of international law or a lawful enforcement action, and they issued demands for release alongside calls for restraint.

“- Joint statement calls ship seizures in international waters 'flagrant violations' of international law - The flotilla sailed from Barcelona on April 12 and was intercepted on Wednesday off Greece’s coast ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and 10 other countries on Thursday condemned Israel’s seizure of Gaza-bound aid vessels in international waters and demanded the immediate release of detained activists, describing the operation as a breach of international law”

Arab News

PressTV said Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, called for “an urgent European action” and warned that “Allowing the targeting of ships in international waters near Europe raises serious questions about the level of compliance with international law.”

Arab News reported that Pakistan and 10 other countries condemned Israel’s seizure of Gaza-bound aid vessels in international waters as “flagrant violations” and demanded “the immediate release of detained activists,” quoting the joint statement that “The Israeli attacks against the vessels and the unlawful detention of humanitarian activists in international waters constitute flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

Hürriyet Daily News likewise said 12 countries including Türkiye condemned Israel’s attack as a “flagrant violation of international law,” quoting the statement that “The Israeli attacks against the vessels and the unlawful detention of humanitarian activists in international waters constitute flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

On the other side, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said its forces acted lawfully, with Al Jazeera quoting the Foreign Ministry calling flotilla organisers “professional provocateurs” and asserting “Due to the large numbers of vessels participating in the flotilla and the risk of escalation, and the need to prevent the breach of a lawful blockade, an early action was required in accordance with international law.”

The Times of India added that the US state department backed Israel’s actions, quoting Tommy Pigott: “The US condemns the Global Sumud Flotilla as a baseless, counterproductive stunt organised by a sanctioned pro-Hamas entity.”

NBC News reported that Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said “early action was required in accordance with international law” and that “The operation was carried out in international waters peacefully and without any casualties.”

In the same dispute, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the operation as “piracy” and “terrorism,” and WION quoted him calling it “a blow to human conscience and shared global values.”

The interception sparked immediate reactions from European governments and from international organizations, with Spain and Italy summoning Israeli diplomats and multiple countries calling for restraint.

PressTV said Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez slammed the Israeli attack on the civilian aid convoy “Sumud 2” as another Israeli violation of international law and argued that the European Union should “suspend the partnership agreement with the Israeli regime as soon as possible” and ask Benjamin Netanyahu to respect freedom of navigation under international law.

Hürriyet Daily News

Al Jazeera reported that Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X: “Israel is once again violating international law by attacking a civilian flotilla in waters that do not belong to it,” and that Spain’s foreign ministry said it “energetically condemns” Israel’s seizure of the flotilla carrying Spanish nationals.

Al Jazeera also detailed Italy’s response, quoting Italy’s government statement that it “condemns the seizure of the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels … and calls on Israel to immediately release all the unlawfully detained Italians,” while Germany and Italy said they were following developments with “great concern” and called for “restraint from irresponsible actions.”

NBC News described Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemnation as “an act of piracy” and said Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the raid over the phone with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares Bueno.

Amnesty International called for immediate release, with Al Jazeera quoting Amnesty: “The crew of the intercepted vessels must be immediately and unconditionally released,” and adding that “While in custody, the Israeli authorities must ensure that all activists are immediately granted access to consular support, treated humanely and protected from torture and other ill-treatment.”

The Global Sumud Flotilla organisers themselves condemned the interception as “piracy,” with Al Jazeera quoting their statement: “This is piracy,” and “This is the unlawful seizure of human beings on the open sea near Crete, an assertion that Israel can operate with total impunity, far beyond its own borders, with no consequences.”

In the same reporting, Al Jazeera said the network issued a statement holding Israeli authorities “fully responsible for the safety” of its journalists Hafedh Mribah and Mahmut Yavuz who were on the seized vessels.

The interception was framed by multiple outlets as part of a broader pattern of attempts to breach Gaza’s blockade and of escalating confrontation at sea, with references to earlier flotilla episodes and continued fighting.

“The foreign ministers of 12 countries, including Türkiye, have condemned Israel’s attack on the Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla, calling it a “flagrant violation of international law”

Hürriyet Daily News

PressTV said a similar operation in October saw Israeli forces intercept “around 40 flotilla boats,” detaining “more than 450 participants,” including “the grandson of South African leader Nelson Mandela, Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and European Parliament member Rima Hassan,” and that some detainees later reported “physical and psychological abuse in custody,” before the regime deported the activists.

Mehr News Agency

NBC News described the earlier attempt as involving “about 50 vessels and around 500 activists,” naming Greta Thunberg and “Mandla Mandela,” and said Israel “arrested, detained and later deported the participants,” while activists claimed abuse and Israeli authorities denied the accusations.

Anadolu Ajansı said the convoy departed from Sicily “two weeks earlier” as part of a “58-ship mission,” and described the aim to “break Israel’s longstanding blockade on Gaza,” where “some 2.4 million residents face severe humanitarian conditions amid ongoing conflict and widespread destruction.”

The Times of India said the flotilla set sail earlier this month from Barcelona, with organizers saying “more than 70 boats and around 1,000 participants from across the world were expected to take part,” and that the flotilla’s organisers described the interception as “the abduction of civilians in the middle of the Mediterranean, over 600 miles from Gaza, in full view of the world.”

CNN Arabic said the Global Resilience Fleet accused Israel of acting with “impunity, beyond its borders, and without consequences,” while Greenpeace confirmed its vessel Arctic Sunrise had received a radio warning and that contact with several ships was cut after communications channels were jammed.

Finally, the dispute over the future of the detained activists and the legal status of the operation remained unresolved in the sources, with NBC News reporting that Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said activists would be transferred to Greece, while WION said activists were taken to Ketziot prison and PressTV and Al Jazeera continued to cite 211 kidnapped activists.

Across the reporting, the incident was also linked to calls for international action, with PressTV quoting Francesca Albanese’s warning that the interception “requires a broad response at the European level,” and with Arab News quoting the joint statement urging “the immediate release of detained activists.”