Daijiworld Media Network – Ashdod

Ashdod, Oct 3: The Israeli military intercepted the last vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla on Friday, a day after detaining around 450 activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, who were attempting to break the blockade of Gaza.

The final ship, Marinette, was stopped approximately 42.5 nautical miles (79 km) from Gaza. Israeli forces took control of the vessel, detained those on board, and escorted it to Ashdod port. A live feed from the ship showed soldiers boarding and instructing passengers to raise their hands and remain still.

In a statement, flotilla organizers condemned the interception, saying Israeli forces had “illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels—each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza.”

Israel’s foreign ministry said four Italians have been deported, with the rest of the participants in the process of deportation. All participants were reportedly “safe and in good health.”

The flotilla, which began in late August, represents one of the latest international efforts to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, nearly two years after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks triggered the ongoing conflict.

Pro-Palestinian protests erupted worldwide, with demonstrators taking to streets in Europe, Karachi, Buenos Aires, and Mexico City. In Italy, tens of thousands participated in a general strike in support of the flotilla.

During a visit to Ashdod, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir referred to the activists as “terrorists,” drawing criticism from international human rights groups.

Meanwhile, Cyprus reported that one flotilla vessel docked in Larnaca with 21 foreign nationals for refueling and humanitarian reasons.

The flotilla incident comes amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza, which Palestinian authorities report has killed over 66,000 people, mostly civilians. Israel continues to defend its actions as self-defense and has rejected genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice.

The conflict has also seen a US-brokered proposal calling for Hamas’ surrender, with former US President Donald Trump temporarily overseeing governance plans for Gaza, warning that Israel would continue its siege if Hamas refuses.