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Israeli military opened fire on and boarded vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla on Monday and Tuesday as the aid convoy sailed through international waters toward the Gaza Strip, detaining at least 347 participants from 40 countries, including 74 Turkish nationals, according to the flotilla's Crisis Desk.
The 54-boat flotilla, which had departed Thursday from the Turkish district of Marmaris, was carrying activists aiming to break Israel's blockade of Gaza when Israeli military intercepted multiple vessels, pointing weapons at and firing on boats identified as the Munki, Kyrakos, Elengi, Giorama, Alcione, and Zefiro.
The flotilla's organizers declared all convoy vessels had been seized. "We are awaiting more information about their illegal abduction," organizers wrote on Telegram, urging supporters to "demand safe passage" and contact their foreign ministers.
Israeli media reported that more than 40 vessels had been seized and approximately 300 activists detained, figures that diverged from the flotilla's own count of 347 participants held from 40 countries.
Despite the military action, several boats continued sailing toward the Palestinian territory. According to the Crisis Desk, eight vessels, including the Alcyone, Cabo Blanco, Don Juan, Girolama, Kasri Sadabat, Sirius, Lina, and Elengi, remained en route.
The Sirius, the closest vessel to Gaza, had approximately 120 nautical miles remaining. Other boats trailed further behind, with the Kasri Sadabat carrying an estimated 192 nautical miles to go. The Zefiro and Andros were reported seized by Israel.
Tuesday's assault was the third major Israeli military action against the flotilla in under a year. In late April 2026, Israeli military attacked flotilla vessels in international waters off the Greek island of Crete, several nautical miles outside Greek territorial waters, detaining 177 activists and subjecting them to what organizers described as mistreatment.
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At that time, the convoy carried 345 participants from 39 countries. On May 18, Israeli military launched a further assault on a convoy of 426 activists from 39 countries transiting international waters toward Gaza, unlawfully detaining a large number of participants, the Crisis Desk said. In August 2025, the Israeli military had similarly intercepted a flotilla of more than 40 boats carrying 500 activists from more than 44 countries.
The Global Sumud Flotilla describes its mission as breaking the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which Israel imposed in 2007 following Hamas's takeover of the territory.
Aid flotillas have sought to challenge the blockade on both legal and humanitarian grounds, arguing that international maritime law protects civilian vessels in international waters.
The most prominent prior confrontation was the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, in which Israeli commandos raided a Gaza-bound vessel, killing 10 Turkish activists and prompting a prolonged diplomatic crisis between Ankara and Tel Aviv.
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