Israeli Navy Intercepts Global Sumud Flotilla Near Crete, Jams Communications

Israeli naval forces began taking control of ships in the Global Sumud Flotilla heading to Gaza while the convoy was still far from Israeli shores, with multiple outlets placing the interception near the Greek island of Crete in international waters.

Al-Jazeera Net reported that Israeli media said the navy had taken control of seven ships out of 58 in the fleet so far, while Israeli Army Radio cited a military source saying the takeover operation was carried out away from Gaza’s shores because of the flotilla’s size, involving about 100 boats and 1,000 activists.

Al Jazeera

EFE said the Global Sumud Flotilla reported being intercepted by vessels identifying themselves as Israeli while sailing near the coast of Greece, and it placed the approach about one hundred kilometers (54 nautical miles) off the Cretan coast.

Yeni Safak English reported that the Israeli navy began intercepting vessels in international waters late Wednesday, adding that Israeli Army Radio confirmed seven of the 58 ships near Crete had already been seized.

Türkiye Today said the flotilla’s Global Sumud Fleet was intercepted in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea, with an Israeli source quoted by Army Radio saying forces had begun seizing the aid flotilla’s vessels "far from Israeli shores."

The New Region described the Global Sumud Flotilla as having been intercepted by speedboats “self-identified as 'Israel'” as it transited waters near Greece, and it said the Times of Israel confirmed the Israeli Navy is intercepting the fleet citing security sources.

Across the reporting, the flotilla’s communications were jammed and participants described distress signals and an SOS, with Al-Jazeera Net saying the fleet announced communications were cut with 11 ships taking part in the voyage and EFE saying the communications of their vessels were being intercepted.

The flotilla and multiple outlets described a pattern of approach by Israeli military speedboats while communications were disrupted, with participants saying they saw lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons and were ordered to move in specific ways.

Al-Jazeera Net quoted the Global Fleet of Resilience statement on X saying that fast naval boats belonging to the Israeli navy approached the fleet’s vessels, directing “laser beams and semi-automatic offensive weapons” toward the boats, issuing orders for the activists to move to the front of the ships and bow to their knees.

Al Jazeera

EFE similarly reported that the flotilla explained on its X account: «Our boats were approached by military speedboats, self-identified as “israel”, pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees,» and it said the organization also reported that the communications of their vessels were being intercepted.

The New Region added that the official Flotilla Instagram account update said the boarding crew pointed “lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons” and ordered them to get on their hands and knees, while it also said “Boat communications are being jammed and an SOS was issued.”

In the same reporting stream, Al-Jazeera Net said the Global Fleet of Resilience announced that Israeli forces were jamming the communications of the boats taking part and that activists aboard the ships were sending distress signals.

EFE included a radio message transmitted from the military vessels to the flotilla’s boats, where someone can be heard identifying themselves as «IDF,» and it quoted the transmission: «Please change your course and return to your port of origin (…) Any further attempt to sail toward Gaza, places your safety at risk and leaves the IDF with no choice but to take all necessary measures at its disposal to enforce the lawful maritime security blockade» on the Strip.

EFE further reported that the radio transmission added that if the Flotilla continues attempting to break the blockade, “we will stop your vessel and act to seize it.”

The flotilla’s participants included named activists and public figures, with Irish reporting identifying a family connection to President Catherine Connolly.

“The Israeli navy began taking control of ships of the Global Fleet of Resilience heading to Gaza, while it remained near the island of Crete in international waters far from Gaza's shores”

Al-Jazeera Net

The Irish Times said “President Catherine Connolly’s sister, Margaret Connolly, is aboard one of the vessels currently forming part of the flotilla,” and it added that Connolly is “a GP and activist based in Co Sligo.”

It also said Connolly is “one of the President’s 13 siblings,” and it reported that in a statement late on Wednesday night Global Sumud Flotilla said: “Israeli military boats have illegally surrounded the flotilla in international waters and threatened kidnapping and violence.”

The Irish Times also quoted the flotilla’s statement that “Communications with 11 vessels have been lost and Israeli media claims that 7 boats have been intercepted,” and it said “Governments must act now to protect the flotilla ... hold Israel accountable for these flagrant violations of international law and for Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Al-Jazeera Net described the Global Fleet of Resilience as carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and said the fleet urged world governments to act promptly to protect the participants and hold Israel accountable for “blatant violations of international law,” while it also said the flotilla had about 100 boats and 1,000 activists.

Yeni Safak English said the flotilla aims to open a maritime corridor to Gaza and described it as carrying humanitarian aid and including around 100 boats with nearly 1,000 activists from multiple countries.

Novara Media described the Global Sumud Flotilla as appearing to have been intercepted off the coast of Greece “approximately 500 nautical miles, and several days' sail, from Gaza,” and it included a direct quote from Australian filmmaker Juliet Lamont about jammed radios and a potential boarding.

Israel’s stated rationale for the interception was described through Israeli sources and through the way Israeli authorities framed the flotilla’s cargo and intentions, while human rights and EU-related reporting highlighted disputes over how official messages were presented.

Al-Jazeera Net said Israeli Army Radio quoted a military source as saying the decision was made to carry out the takeover operation away from Gaza’s shores due to its size, which involves about 100 boats and 1,000 activists, and it added that Israeli media said the operation was still ongoing with no abnormal events or acts of violence recorded to date.

Al-Monitor

EFE reported that the Israeli Army had not officially confirmed carrying out this operation, despite several local media reporting it as such and despite the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs posting a message on X showing images purportedly of the cargo on the Flotilla’s boats, with the Tel Aviv Foreign Ministry account writing: «This is the “medical aid” found aboard the PR stunt flotilla: condoms and drugs,»

Anadolu Ajansı reported that Amnesty criticized the Israeli Foreign Ministry for sharing a selectively edited video of an EU statement on a humanitarian flotilla, saying the Israeli Foreign Ministry omitted key context about safety risks faced by humanitarian activists.

Amnesty’s post, as quoted by Anadolu, said: “In the unedited version, the EU discourages flotillas ‘because they risk the safety of the participants.’ Which safety risks? Israeli authorities' unlawful interception of earlier flotillas & arbitrary detention, abuse & ill-treatment of activists,” and Anadolu said European Commission spokesperson Anita Hrncirova told Anadolu that the EU “discourage[s] flotillas from this kind of delivery, because they risk safety of the participants.”

The New Region also reported that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he has “imposed sanctions” to the fundraising operations of the Global Sumud Flotilla, describing the move as intended to deter donors from contributing to a terror organization and claiming the movement is “organized by the Hamas terror organization, in cooperation with additional international organizations and under the guise of a humanitarian aid flotilla.”

Türkiye Today said Israel has maintained a blockade on the Strip since 2007, and it described the blockade as necessary to prevent weapons smuggling, while it also said critics including United Nations agencies and human rights organizations have argued the restrictions limit the flow of food, medicine, and other essential goods into Gaza.

The immediate next steps described in the reporting centered on whether the flotilla would be stopped, seized, or allowed to continue, and on how communications and contact with ships changed during the operation.

EFE quoted the radio transmission warning that “Any further attempt to sail toward Gaza, places your safety at risk and leaves the IDF with no choice but to take all necessary measures at its disposal to enforce the lawful maritime security blockade” on the Strip, and it added that “we will stop your vessel and act to seize it.”

Amnesty International

Al-Jazeera Net said the Global Fleet of Resilience urged world governments to act promptly to protect the participants and hold Israel accountable for “blatant violations of international law,” while it also said the fleet said communications were cut with 11 ships taking part in the voyage and that Israeli media reported seven boats were intercepted during the ongoing operation at sea.

The Irish Times reported that the flotilla’s statement said “Communications with 11 vessels have been lost and Israeli media claims that 7 boats have been intercepted,” and it also said the report did not specify the number of vessels involved or their exact location.

Türkiye Today said Channel 12 television reported that at least one ship had already been boarded and taken over by the Israeli navy, while it also said the Israeli military stopped short of confirming or denying whether an interception had taken place.

Al Jazeera’s own reporting said organizers said their vessels were being intercepted by Israeli military speedboats in Greek waters west of Crete, more than 1,000km from Israel, and it said crew members reported communications jammed and an SOS issued.

Novara Media said participants reported being approached by speedboats and drones and having their communications jammed at around 11:00 p.m. local time, and it reported that at 1:28 a.m. GMT+3 the flotilla said it had lost contact with 11 of its 57 boats.