Israeli forces raided vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters
Seven of the 58 boats were seized near Crete as the convoy attempted to deliver aid to blockaded Gaza
Israeli military forces have intercepted boats travelling with the Global Sumud Flotilla, using drones, communications jamming technology and armed raiding parties to halt the humanitarian fleet in the middle of the Mediterranean, according to organisers and Israeli media.
“Our boats were approached by military speedboats, self-identified as ‘Israel’, pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons, ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees,” the Global Sumud Flotilla aid mission said on Thursday. “Israeli military boats have illegally surrounded the flotilla in international waters and threatened kidnapping and violence,” the flotilla said in a post on social media.
“Communication with 11 vessels has been lost and Israeli media claims that seven boats have been intercepted. Governments must act now to protect the flotilla.” Israel Army Radio cited an Israeli source as saying that Israel has begun seizing control of the aid ships heading towards Gaza, and that seven of the flotilla’s 58 vessels had been captured near the Greek island of Crete.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said in a post on social media that the flotilla was “stopped before reaching our area” and that Israeli soldiers were acting with “determination, dealing with a group of delusional attention-seeking agitators”.
Gur Tsabar, a spokesperson for the Global Sumud Flotilla, described Israel’s boarding of its vessels as “a straight-up attack on unarmed civilian boats in international waters”. Speaking to a news channel from Toronto, Canada, Tsabar said the sea assault was taking place “hundreds of miles from Israel”, with the flotilla being “surrounded and threatened at gunpoint”.
“This is illegal under international law. Israel has no jurisdiction in these waters. Boarding these boats amounts to illegal detention – potentially kidnapping on the high seas,” said Tsabar. “It’s critical that all governments act now. Every government has an obligation to protect the over 400 civilians on board and to uphold international law. Silence in this moment is absolute complicity.”
Tariq Ra’ouf, a writer and activist who is on board one of the flotilla’s vessels, told a news channel how the fleet was surrounded by large Israeli military ships from which rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) were then deployed.
“From those military ships, a number of smaller military RIBs began surrounding many of our vessels. Drones have been circling us and flashing lights. We’ve also been receiving radio messages from the Israeli military claiming we are violating international law and must stop,” Ra’ouf said.
The Israeli operation unfolded over several hours, Ra’ouf added, noting that the flotilla was travelling toward Crete in international waters when the naval raid began.
“We’ve lost communication with many of our boats,” Ra’ouf said.
He further stated that the flotilla’s communications were jammed by the Israeli military, which played music over radio channels as “a form of psychological warfare”.
“We are in international waters, and this is truly an unprecedented move from Israel, as we are nowhere near Gaza,” Ra’ouf added.
A correspondent from a news channel, reporting from Amman, Jordan, said anonymous Israeli military sources have been sharing details of the naval raid with Israeli media.
“One source within the military said the aim was to surprise the flotilla by striking so far from Gaza,” the correspondent reported.
The flotilla is estimated to be about 600 nautical miles (1,111 km) from Gaza, while the previous farthest interception by Israel of an aid flotilla was 72 nautical miles (133 km) from the Palestinian territory.
“So this is significantly farther than any previous raid carried out by Israel on such flotillas,” the correspondent added.
More than 50 vessels carrying activists from multiple countries set sail from Italy on Sunday towards the Gaza Strip, in what organisers described as the largest humanitarian aid flotilla attempting to reach the war-affected Palestinian territory, where Israel’s ongoing military campaign has reportedly killed 72,599 people and injured 172,411.
Last October, Israel’s military intercepted around 40 boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla as they carried aid to Gaza, arresting more than 450 participants, including the grandson of South African leader Nelson Mandela, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, and European Parliament member Rima Hassan.
Detained and taken to Israel, several flotilla activists later alleged physical and psychological abuse while in custody.
Israel subsequently deported the detained crew members and activists.
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