Newsletters
The Global Sumud Flotilla confirmed Thursday that 20 Turkish activists were among those detained after Israeli forces seized 21 flotilla vessels in international waters off the coast of Crete.
Israeli forces surrounded the boats off the coast of the Greek island of Crete late Wednesday and carried out a raid, detaining more than 170 activists on board, the Turkish delegation told Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).
The detained Turkish nationals are as follows: Mustafa Enes Topal, Muhammed Ozdem, Ali Deniz, Yunus Kava, Sahin Yaslik, Mustafa Arslan, Abdulselam Demir, Nevzat Oylek, Nevzat Guzel, Halil Erdogmus, Abdullatif Fasli, Huseyin Suayb Ordu, Mahmut Akay, Gorkem Duru, Mehmet Atli, Mukremin Kose, Ramazan Tekdemir, Mahmut Cagatay Yavuz, Huseyin Oral, and Omer Osman Tastan.
Israel's Foreign Ministry said approximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats were "making their way to Israel," while 17 vessels managed to escape and enter Greek territorial waters.
The Global Sumud Flotilla confirmed 20 Turkish activists had been detained by Israeli forces.
The Turkish delegation at the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla on Thursday told AA that Israeli forces have detained 20 Turkish nationals after intercepting the fleet in international waters more than 600 nautical miles from Gaza, a few miles off Greek territorial waters.
Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed approximately 175 activists total from more than 20 boats were in Israeli custody and "making their way peacefully to Israel," releasing a video of activists aboard an Israeli navy vessel.
The flotilla said Israeli forces seized 21 of its 58 boats in international waters.
By the time of the organization's morning statement at 6:30 a.m. Paris time, "at least 22 of the flotilla's 58 boats had been stormed by Israeli forces in complete violation of international law," the group said.
Seventeen vessels managed to escape the interception and enter Greek territorial waters. The Israeli Army Radio had confirmed earlier that forces had begun taking control of the flotilla vessels near Crete.
The flotilla said Israeli military speedboats "self-identified as Israel" had approached their vessels in international waters, with personnel "pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons, ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees."
Communications were jammed, and an SOS was issued. Engines were smashed and navigation arrays destroyed on multiple vessels before Israeli forces retreated, leaving some boats powerless in the path of an approaching storm.
The flotilla, carrying more than 400 civilians from 39 countries, had departed from Marseille, Barcelona, and Syracuse in recent weeks.
It is the second such interception: a September 2025 flotilla was also stopped by Israeli forces, with Greta Thunberg among those arrested and subsequently expelled.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
