Newsletters
Israeli military intercepted multiple vessels from the Global Sumud Fleet attempting to break the Gaza blockade and deliver humanitarian aid on Wednesday, detaining activists and seizing control of at least six ships in international waters.
The fleet announced on social media platform X that their vessels were under "illegal siege," with cameras disabled and military personnel boarding the ships. Israeli military detained nine Turkish citizens participating in the convoy, according to Turkish reports.
The detained Turkish nationals were identified as Abdulaziz Yalcin, Davut Daskiran, Fikret Aycin Kantoglu, Zeynep Tekocak, Huseyin Suayip Ordu, Metehan Sari, Osman Cetinkaya, Onur Murat Kolgu, and Semih Fener.
Israeli state television reporter Itay Blumental reported that Israeli military had attacked six vessels: the Sirus, Alma, Spectre, Huga, Adara, and Deyr Yassin.
Turkish activist Yasar Yavuz, aboard the Seulle vessel, told Türkiye's state news agency that Israeli soldiers had detained activists from three ships in the fleet. He said Israeli boats were circling among the remaining vessels, describing their actions as harassment.
"Israeli military boats are moving around our ships. They're trying to harass us more," Yavuz said, adding that ships not yet intercepted continued toward Gaza.
Yunus Emre Aydinbas, a fleet communications official, said "all our activists' morale is very high. Their health is good. They are all safe."
The Israeli government issued statements claiming activists were being treated well, but previous incidents have raised questions about such assurances. In June, activists aboard the Madleen vessel reported being held without food or water for 16 hours and facing various forms of mistreatment during detention.
Turkish activist Suayb Ordu, who was previously detained and later released, described harsh conditions in Israeli detention facilities. "They were putting us in cells full of insects. Even medical treatment was used for blackmail," Ordu said, adding that prisoners were kept awake and found their sheets covered in blood each morning.
1 min read
The interception sparked international protests across multiple countries. In Italy, crowds blocked train tracks to protest their government's stance on Gaza. Large gatherings formed outside Israeli consulates in Rome and Barcelona, while demonstrators in Berlin, Brussels, and Paris chanted "Freedom for the fleet" to condemn Israel's actions.
In Türkiye, thousands gathered outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, while crowds protested near the U.S. Embassy in Ankara. Similar demonstrations took place in Athens, Greece.
Colombia expelled Israel's diplomatic mission following the fleet's interception, adding to international criticism of the operation.
The Global Sumud Fleet represents the latest attempt to challenge Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, which Israel maintains is necessary for security purposes but critics describe as collective punishment of Palestinian civilians.
3 min read
