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The Israeli Navy began taking control of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea on Monday, Israeli media reported.
The interception occurred four days after a convoy of 54 to 57 vessels departed from Marmaris, Türkiye, bound for Gaza. Following a security meeting held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to authorize the seizure, Shayetet 13 naval commandos led the boarding operation, using a specially constructed floating detention cell prepared to hold the activists.
Live broadcasts from the flotilla showed Israeli naval forces boarding the boats one after another.
The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli soldiers were filmed near one of the ships heading toward the Gaza Strip.
The newspaper later reported that the Israeli army detained activists aboard the vessels and was transferring them to a navy ship described as a "floating prison" before transporting them to the port of Ashdod.
"Military vessels are currently intercepting our fleet and the IOF forces are boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight," The Global Sumud Flotilla stated on X.
"We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission. Governments must act now to stop these illegal acts of piracy meant to maintain Israel’s genocidal siege on Gaza. Normalization of the occupation’s violence is a threat to us all," the flotilla added.
According to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Netanyahu convened a security meeting on Monday to formally authorize the Israeli military to seize the flotilla.
KAN reported that Shayetet 13 naval commandos led the boarding operation and that a floating detention facility had been specially built aboard one of the Israeli vessels to hold activists who did not comply with warnings to turn back.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a written statement earlier, saying Israel would not "permit" the breaking of the naval blockade and calling on flotilla participants to change course.
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