In an overnight operation between Wednesday and Thursday hundreds of kilometers from Israel and Gaza, Israeli naval forces intercepted a large humanitarian aid flotilla organized by the Global Sumud Flotilla coalition in international Mediterranean waters off the coast of Crete. The interception, which involved 22 vessels and 175 participating activists, has sparked a sharp international dispute over territorial norms, humanitarian access to blockaded Gaza, and allegations of excessive force by Israeli troops.
Among those detained after the interception are two senior members of the flotilla’s steering committee: Saif Abukeshek, a Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian descent, and Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian national. According to Israeli officials, the pair are being transferred to Israel for formal interrogation. Israeli authorities have leveled unsubstantiated claims that Abukeshek is linked to a terrorist organization, while Ávila has been labeled a suspect in unspecified illegal activity, with no supporting evidence released to the public as of Friday.
Flotilla organizers have issued a scathing account of the Israeli operation, accusing commandos of storming participating vessels, damaging ship engines, and committing widespread abuse against detainees. In an official statement released Friday, the coalition claimed Israeli forces denied detained activists access to food and clean water, and intentionally flooded the floors where detainees were forced to sleep. When a group of activists resisted the removal of Abukeshek and Ávila, organizers say Israeli forces responded with brutal violence: participants were punched, kicked, dragged across decks with their hands bound behind their backs, and suffered serious injuries including broken noses, fractured ribs, and severe bruising from beatings. Organizers also claim gunshots were fired during the clash. In total, 34 activists holding citizenship from countries including the United States, Australia, Colombia, Italy, and Ukraine required hospital treatment for their injuries after disembarking in Crete.
Israeli officials have defended the interception, saying early action was necessary to stop the flotilla before it could reach Israeli territorial waters, given the large number of vessels participating. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed Thursday that all activists removed from the vessels were taken into custody unharmed, and authorities have not issued any formal response to the specific allegations of abuse and mistreatment. Prior to this operation, 53 vessels were part of the flotilla’s deployment, which launched earlier this month from Barcelona, Spain. Organizers note that 31 of those vessels have now reached safe international waters, and will continue their stated mission to break what they call Israel’s illegal naval blockade of Gaza.
Diplomatic reactions to the incident have split along familiar geopolitical lines. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares issued an immediate audio statement Friday calling for Abukeshek’s immediate and unconditional release, adding that roughly 30 other Spanish citizens who disembarked in Crete have already received consular support from the Spanish embassy in Greece. Greek authorities have confirmed they requested Israel withdraw its naval vessels from the interception area, and offered to facilitate the disembarkation and repatriation of remaining activists through diplomatic good offices. Lara Souza, Ávila’s wife, told reporters the pair’s current location remains unclear, with Brazilian officials warning that securing their release will become far more complicated if they are transferred into Israeli territory. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
The United States has publicly aligned with Israel in condemning the flotilla, characterizing the mission as a “pro-Hamas political stunt.” In a statement posted to the social platform X, the U.S. State Department said it expects all U.S. allies, particularly those that have endorsed former President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza, to take decisive action against the initiative, including denying the flotilla’s vessels access to national ports. Solidarity protests in support of the flotilla and detained activists have already broken out in major capitals across the globe, including Rome, Athens, and Istanbul.
This is not the first time Israeli authorities have blocked the Global Sumud Flotilla’s efforts to deliver aid to Gaza. Less than a year ago, Israel intercepted an earlier mission involving roughly 50 vessels and 500 activists, including high-profile participants such as climate activist Greta Thunberg, Mandla Mandela (grandson of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela), and multiple sitting lawmakers. All participants were arrested, detained, and eventually deported, including Ávila, who previously accused Israeli authorities of abusing him during detention — claims that Israeli officials have repeatedly denied.