Israeli PM confirms interception of Gaza-bound flotilla, Turkey calls it ‘act of piracy’
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Israeli PM confirms interception of Gaza-bound flotilla, Turkey calls it ‘act of piracy’")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Photograph: (AFP)
Israel vowed to block the flotilla from reaching Gaza and described the mission as a provocation, claiming it was a so-called humanitarian aid effort with no actual aid onboard.
Israeli naval forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on Monday (May 18) after it sailed from Turkey last week. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the operation, saying the troops had “thwarted a malicious scheme”.
According to a statement from his office, Netanyahu told the commander leading the interception that the forces were “doing an extraordinary job” and were effectively preventing what he described as an attempt to break Israel’s blockade on Hamas in Gaza.
He further commended the operation, saying it was being carried out with “outstanding success” and “far less fanfare than our enemies had anticipated”, urging the forces to “carry on to the very end”. Footage released by his office showed him speaking with the commander during the operation.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which describes itself as a humanitarian mission, is among several such attempts since the start of the Gaza war to deliver aid by sea to the Palestinian territory. It is also the second convoy in less than a month, after a similar mission was intercepted on April 30.
“Global Sumud Flotilla is under attack!” the organisers posted on X, claiming that four Israeli warships had approached their vessels.
“Military vessels are currently intercepting our fleet, and IOF forces are currently boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight,” the statement added, with tracking data showing multiple vessels being intercepted west of Cyprus.
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The flotilla further said, “We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission. Governments must act now to stop these illegal acts or piracy meant to maintain Israel's genocidal siege on Gaza.”
“Normalisation of the occupation's violence is a threat to us all,” it added.
According to organisers, around 50 ships had departed from southwestern Turkey on Thursday as part of the convoy.
Earlier in the day, Israel had vowed to block the flotilla from reaching Gaza.
“Once again, a provocation for the sake of provocation: another so-called 'humanitarian aid flotilla' with no humanitarian aid,” Israel’s foreign ministry posted on X.
It also alleged that “This time, two violent Turkish groups, Mavi Marmara and IHH, the latter designated as a terrorist organisation, are part of the provocation,” adding that it would not allow any breach of the blockade.
“Israel calls on all participants in this provocation to change course and turn back immediately,” the ministry said.
Turkey strongly condemned the interception, calling it an act of aggression.
“We condemn the intervention by Israeli forces in international waters against the Global Flotilla, which constitutes a new act of piracy,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that the convoy consisted of around 50 vessels that had sailed from Turkey on Thursday.
