Israeli Navy Boards Flotilla in International Waters

Half of the activists are detained while delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip

The passengers of the 19 ships of the Global Sumud Flotilla intercepted last night and in the early hours by the Israeli Navy, including Captain Nikos, are already being taken to Israel, where a deportation procedure to Europe will begin, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday in a tweet.

In the same ironic tone it used on Wednesday to describe the activists traveling on the roughly 40 boats of the flotilla, the message refers to those vessels as “yachts” and labels the initiative—intended to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the Israeli blockade—as the “Hamas‑Sumud” flotilla. In recent days Israel has tried to link the Global Sumud organization with the Palestinian militia, but without providing any evidence.

“The passengers of Hamas‑Sumud on their yachts are heading safely and peacefully to Israel, where the deportation procedures to Europe will begin. The passengers are safe and sound,” the tweet reads.