Israeli forces board Gaza-bound flotilla near Cyprus, activists say

Pro-Palestinian activists say Israeli forces have intercepted a flotilla of more than 50 boats carrying aid for Gaza in international waters west of Cyprus.

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said its fleet was boarded in what it called "another illegal, high-seas aggression" about 250 nautical miles (460km) from Gaza, which is under an Israeli maritime blockade. Its video stream showed commandos climbing onto several boats.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the raid was "effectively neutralizing a malicious plan designed to break the isolation we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza".

Last month, Israeli forces intercepted 22 boats from the same flotilla near Crete.

In that incident, 181 activists on board were detained, all but two of whom were released on the Greek island the next day following widespread international condemnation.

Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Ávila were taken back to Israel for questioning and deported after spending 10 days in custody.

The flotilla's remaining boats then sailed to the Turkish port of Marmaris, where 54 boats departed last Thursday and headed south-east towards Gaza. More than 460 activists from 45 countries were said to be taking part.

Just after 10:30 in Cyprus (07:30 GMT) on Monday, live video broadcast on the GSF's website showed commandos on a raiding craft approaching a sailboat, then boarding it as the passengers raised their hands.

"Military vessels are currently intercepting our fleet and [Israeli] forces are boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight," the GSF's organisers said in a statement.

"We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission," it added. "Governments must act now to stop these illegal acts or piracy meant to maintain Israel's genocidal siege on Gaza."

On Monday afternoon, the organisers announced that Israeli forces had so far intercepted 16 vessels in the flotilla.

Some two dozen Turkish nationals were on board the intercepted vessels, they said.

Turkey's foreign ministry condemned "the intervention by Israeli forces in international waters... which constitutes a new act of piracy".

Hamas official Basem Naim accused Israel of "state terrorism and systematic undermining of the entire international order", according to AFP news agency.

Israel's prime minister told the commander of the Israeli naval forces by radio that they were "doing an outstanding job", according to a transcript released by his office.

"You are doing this with great success, and I must say also quietly, and certainly with less prominence than our enemies expected - so, heartfelt congratulations," Netanyahu said.

Earlier, Israel's foreign ministry had vowed that it would not allow any breach of its blockade of Gaza, which it insisted was lawful, and called on the flotilla to turn back.

"Once again, a provocation for the sake of provocation: another so-called 'humanitarian aid flotilla' with no humanitarian aid," a post on X said.

"This time, two violent Turkish groups - Mavi Marmara and IHH, the latter designated as a terrorist organisation - are part of the provocation," it added.

The IHH was one of the organisers of an aid flotilla that attempted to breach the Gaza blockade in 2010. Israeli commandos raided a Turkish boat that was participating in the flotilla, Mavi Marmara, and killed 10 Turkish activists during clashes on board.

The GSF said there were no Turkish-flagged vessels in its flotilla and that it had no affiliation to those who were on Mavi Marmara.

The Israeli foreign ministry also claimed that the purpose of the latest GSF flotilla was to "serve Hamas, to divert attention from Hamas's refusal to disarm, and to obstruct progress on [US] President Trump's peace plan".

The GSF said the activists on board were carrying food, baby formula and medical aid for Palestinians in Gaza, where living conditions are dire and most of the 2.1 million population is displaced, despite the ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas last October.

The Israeli foreign ministry described Gaza as "flooded with aid", saying more than 1.5 million tonnes of aid and thousands of tonnes of medical supplies had entered the territory over the past seven months.

The UN said last week that many displaced families in Gaza were still forced to shelter in overcrowded tents or severely damaged structures due to the absence of safer alternatives.

Access to basic services remained limited, with inconsistent availability of clean water and impaired waste management systems that could not meaningfully address public health concerns, including those linked to pests and rodents, it added.

The UN also said humanitarian operations continued to be undermined by restrictions on the import of critical spare parts, back-up generators and other equipment, as well as shortages of essential inputs, including fuel and engine oil.

It noted that only 86% of the humanitarian supplies initially approved by Israeli authorities for entry into Gaza in April were ultimately offloaded at border crossings. The remaining supplies were returned to their points of origin.

The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 72,760 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.