Last Aid Boat in Global Sumud Flotilla Intercepted by Israel
Israeli forces have seized the last vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian mission to Gaza. The Polish-flagged Marinette was intercepted after most of the 44-ship fleet was dismantled, with hundreds of activists detained, sparking global criticism.
The Israeli navy has seized the final vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a coalition of ships carrying international activists and humanitarian aid bound for Gaza.
The Polish-flagged Marinette, carrying six crew members, was intercepted in the early hours of Friday while attempting to reach the besieged enclave. It was the last boat still at sea after Israeli forces dismantled the rest of the 44-vessel flotilla earlier this week.
Organizers said about 500 activists from more than 40 countries have been detained since the start of the operation, including high-profile figures such as climate activist Greta Thunberg. Several detainees have launched hunger strikes to protest what they describe as “illegal maritime seizures.”
Israel maintains that the naval blockade of Gaza is necessary for security, vowing to prevent any breach. Activists, however, argue that the flotilla was a peaceful mission to deliver aid and draw global attention to Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
International reactions have been swift, with rights groups and some governments condemning the interceptions as violations of international law and calling for the immediate release of detained activists.
The flotilla, named “Global Sumud” after the Arabic word for steadfastness, was launched as a symbolic challenge to Israel’s blockade, aiming to highlight the plight of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents who face acute shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.