Flotilla Faces Force: Gaza-Bound Vessels Press On
At least 23 of the 40 vessels in the Global Sumud Flotilla continue to advance toward Gaza carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians. According to live tracking data on Thursday afternoon, October 2, one vessel named Mikeno has already entered Gaza’s territorial waters, though it remains unclear whether it has been intercepted by Israeli forces.
The live tracker indicated that at least 24 vessels in the flotilla are still outside Israeli intervention. Among them, Mikeno was confirmed to be within Gaza’s territorial waters, while the remaining 23 vessels were positioned approximately 50 to 60 kilometers off the Gaza coast.
Earlier, on Wednesday night, Israeli forces blocked 13 flotilla vessels carrying aid. More than 200 activists from 37 countries were detained, according to flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukeshek in an Instagram post. The detained activists included 30 from Spain, 22 from Italy, 21 from Turkey, and 12 from Malaysia.
Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla about 129 kilometers from Gaza in the Mediterranean Sea, halting at least eight vessels, including Deir Yassin, Hyuga, Spectre, Adara, Alma, Sirius, Aurora, and Grandi Blue. Reuters, however, reported that 13 ships had been stopped.
Among those detained was Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the action, stating, “Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud Flotilla have been safely stopped. Their passengers are being taken to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and well.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla is an international initiative aiming to deliver aid to Gaza by sea. The civilian convoy includes more than 40 vessels with around 500 people from 44 countries, including elected representatives of the European Parliament, lawyers, activists, doctors, and journalists from the United States, Spain, Ireland, France, and Belgium.
The first fleet of the flotilla set sail from Barcelona, Spain, on August 31. Additional ships joined between September 13 and 15 from Tunisia and Italy’s Sicily, followed by further vessels departing from Greece’s Syros Island with humanitarian supplies.
