The international aid flotilla en route to Gaza announced on Wednesday it will continue its journey despite what organisers describe as “intimidation tactics” by the Israeli military.
Comprising around 45 vessels carrying humanitarian supplies, activists, and political figures including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and South African MP Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, the fleet set sail from Spain last month with the aim of breaking the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, where the United Nations has declared a famine.
Agrression and harssment
As the ships approached Egyptian waters where previous flotillas have been intercepted, the organisers issued a statement condemning a "harassment operation" by the Israeli navy in the early hours of the day. One of the lead vessels, Alma, was reportedly "aggressively encircled" by an Israeli warship, while another ship, Sirius, was also targeted with similar disruptive manoeuvres.
French MP Marie Mesmeur, of the radical left-wing party LFI, who was on board the Sirius, told AFP she witnessed at least two unidentified ships, including one “very, very close”, and a military patrol boat with a “massive spotlight” trained on them. During the incident, all radar and online communications on board were reportedly cut.
Ships urged to halt
The flotilla, known as the Freedom Flotilla Sumud (meaning “steadfastness” in Arabic), stated on social media platform X that it remains on high alert as it enters waters where previous aid missions were intercepted or attacked. Organisers say they were previously targeted by drone strikes near Tunisia earlier this month and again near Crete last week. The incidents condemned by the UN and EU.
At 05:30 GMT (08:30 Cyprus time) on Wednesday, the flotilla was in the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 120 nautical miles (220 kilometres) from Palestinian waters.
“We continue undeterred, despite Israeli threats and intimidation tactics,” read a post on X, noting that among the passengers are French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan and former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau.
Both Italy and Spain, which deployed naval escorts for the flotilla, have urged the ships to halt before reaching the 150-nautical-mile mark set by Israel as a maritime blockade zone. Spain’s Digital Transformation Minister, Óscar López, made a public appeal for the ships to stay outside the declared exclusion zone, stating that Spain’s naval escort would not cross into the area.
Accusations of sabotage
Italy issued a similar warning on Wednesday, with its frigate reportedly stopping at the 150-nautical-mile boundary and broadcasting radio messages urging the activists to abandon the mission.
Activists accused both governments of attempting to “sabotage” the humanitarian effort, which they say is intended not just to deliver aid, but to challenge the legality of Israel’s blockade, which they argue constitutes collective punishment.
Rome and Athens also issued a joint diplomatic appeal to Israel, urging it to ensure the safety of all those on board and to facilitate consular protection if needed. Both countries called on the flotilla to consider a compromise: delivering the humanitarian aid to the Catholic Church for distribution in Gaza, an offer the activists have repeatedly rejected.
Israel has already intercepted two sea-bound aid attempts this year, in June and July. In the June incident, 12 activists aboard the sailboat Madleen, including Thunberg, were stopped 185 kilometres off the coast of Gaza by Israeli forces.
CNA