The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it had prevented the Global Sumud Flotilla from breaking through the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, despite contradictory claims from the activists on board.
The organizers of the aid flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona in late August and aimed to deliver humanitarian aid directly to Gaza’s population, said Israel intercepted around 40 boats in the Mediterranean Sea.
However, the activists said one boat, the Mikeno, reached within a few kilometres of Gaza’s coast, as shown on their online ship tracking service.
They described the mission as a success, saying it was the first time a civilian vessel had managed to break through the Israeli naval blockade and enter the territorial waters off the Gaza Strip.
The Times of Israel newspaper reported, citing military sources, that none of the flotilla’s ships had managed to reach the Israeli-controlled waters off the coast of Gaza, saying the activists’ claim was based on incorrect tracking data.
The fate of the Mikeno remained unclear due to interrupted communications. There were no reports that the boat had reached dry land and been able to unload any aid supplies.
The Israeli military and the Foreign Ministry did not initially respond to enquiries about the Mikeno.
The Israeli navy intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla on Wednesday evening around 80 kilometres off the coast in international waters.
Activists said the interception was illegal and accused Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip – accusations which Israel has rejected in the past.
The flotilla members reported that at least one boat was rammed and others blasted with water cannons. Live footage from some of the vessels showed masked, heavily armed soldiers boarding and ordering crews to raise their hands. There were no reports of injuries during the operation.
According to the organizers, around 500 participants from more than 40 countries, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were to be brought to Israel and then deported.
“The passengers are safe and in good health,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote on X, alongside a photo of some of the activists, including Thunberg.
Two other boats turned north towards Cyprus and escaped military action. One final boat remained at sea, but far from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Foreign Ministry warned that if it continued to approach, it would also be stopped.
It was initially unclear what would happen to the intercepted boats and their cargo. The activists had previously rejected offers from Israel to have the flotilla’s supplies brought to the Gaza Strip via an Israeli port.
“The flotilla refused because they are not interested in aid, but in provocation,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote on X.
The flotilla issued a statement on Thursday saying: “Our commitment remains clear: to break Israel’s illegal siege and end the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. Every act of repression against our flotilla, every escalation of violence in Gaza, and every attempt to suppress solidarity actions only strengthen our resolve.”