According to a report by Anadolu Agency on Wednesday, Oct.1, 2025, the Global Sumud Flotilla reported on Wednesday that Israeli naval forces intercepted its convoy as it sailed toward Gaza in an attempt to break the long-standing Israeli blockade. Organizers said live broadcasts from most of the flotilla’s vessels were cut off when Israeli warships surrounded the ships, disrupted communications, and moved to halt the convoy.
The International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG), which is coordinating the flotilla, confirmed that Israeli forces stormed the lead vessels, Alma and Sirius. Several activists posted videos on social media showing naval boats approaching the convoy and instructing the ships to change course.
“We are being attacked right now by the Zionist (Israeli) army,” the ICBSG said on X, the US-based social media platform. “High alert. Our vessels are being illegally intercepted. Cameras are offline, and vessels have been boarded by military personnel.”
The committee added that the captain of Alma defied an order from the Israeli military to stop, while several other ships were already intercepted. “A state of emergency has been declared aboard all vessels,” the ICBSG said. No immediate information was available regarding detentions or the fate of the flotilla.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that its forces had reached the flotilla and ordered the activists to redirect toward the port of Ashdod in southern Israel, where the aid would undergo security inspection before being transferred into Gaza. The ministry released a video showing a naval officer instructing the vessels to comply. Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that naval forces had boarded multiple ships and begun taking control of the convoy, with the operation expected to continue into Thursday, according to Channel 13 sources.
The flotilla, carrying mainly humanitarian aid and medical supplies, had set sail in late August. Under normal circumstances, the convoy was expected to reach Gaza’s coast Thursday morning. This marks the first time in years that over 50 ships have sailed together toward the enclave, carrying 532 civilian supporters from more than 45 countries. Gaza, home to roughly 2.4 million Palestinians, has been under a blockade for approximately 18 years, which was tightened on March 2 with the closure of border crossings and restrictions on food, medicine, and other aid.
Humanitarian groups have warned that the blockade has pushed Gaza into famine, while continued bombardment has caused widespread destruction, forcing civilians into starvation and contributing to the spread of diseases. Since October 2023, Israeli military operations in the enclave have killed over 66,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, leaving Gaza increasingly uninhabitable. See, More, Here>>>
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