An international flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza reported a tense encounter on Wednesday, as Israeli naval vessels started intercepting the caravan, Gaza aid flotilla
The flotilla’s organizers said two Israeli warships quickly closed in on the vessels Alma and Sirius, encircling them and disrupting all navigation and communication systems—an incident described by one organizer, Thiago Ávila, as a “cyber-attack” during a press conference.
Despite the disruption, some communication systems were later restored. The flotilla, named the Global Sumud Flotilla, consists of more than 40 civilian boats carrying approximately 500 people, including parliamentarians, legal observers, and activists such as Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The mission marks the latest attempt to breach Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza, now in place since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007. Organizers say their goal is to deliver desperately needed food and medicine to a region devastated by nearly two years of war.
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In a public statement, the flotilla warned that Israel’s actions had “placed unarmed civilians from over 40 countries in grave danger.”
According to organizers, the boats reached within 120 nautical miles of Gaza’s coast, inside a maritime area patrolled by the Israeli navy. Despite the escalation, they confirmed that all participants remained calm and adhered to safety protocols.
Last week, the flotilla was reportedly targeted by drones that dropped stun grenades and chemical irritants, causing damage but no injuries.
Israel did not officially comment on the incident, although officials have previously asserted that they will use “any means necessary” to enforce the naval blockade, which it argues is legal under international law.
Already several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port.
Greta and her friends are safe and healthy. pic.twitter.com/PA1ezier9s— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 1, 2025
In response to rising tensions, Italy and Spain deployed naval vessels to provide humanitarian or rescue assistance. However, those ships stopped following the flotilla once it crossed within 150 nautical miles (278 km) of Gaza. Turkish drones have also been monitoring the boats’ progress.
On Wednesday, Italy and Greece issued a joint plea urging Israel to refrain from harming activists aboard the flotilla. They also called on the organizers to transfer the aid to the Catholic Church for indirect delivery into Gaza—a proposal the flotilla has repeatedly rejected.
At the same press conference, Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, condemned any attempt to intercept the flotilla as a “violation of international law and the law of the sea,” stating that Israel has no jurisdiction in the waters off Gaza.
In June this year, Israeli naval forces detained Greta Thunberg and 11 crew members aboard a small ship organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as it neared Gaza.
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Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
