Israeli navy storms ships from Gaza-bound aid flotilla

The organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, said on Wednesday evening that the Israeli navy stormed six ships, assaulted activists, and arrested dozens as some vessels neared the enclave’s coast.

This was stated by the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza and the flotilla organisers through their accounts on X and Facebook, up to 21:30 GMT.

Around 50 ships are taking part in the flotilla, moving in groups separated by a few nautical miles. Activists on board said that the distance between the leading vessels and those at the rear reached about 20 miles.

According to the organisers, the Israeli navy had boarded six ships by 21:30 GMT. These included vessels at the front of the flotilla that were closest to the Gaza coast.

Four of the seized ships were named as Alma, Surius, Adara and Deir Yassin. Organisers said they were raided illegally in international waters after their communication systems were deliberately damaged.

Turkey condemned the Israeli operation, describing it as a “war crime”. Turkish officials said the raid on civilian vessels in international waters violated international law and pledged to raise the issue with the United Nations and other international bodies.

Meanwhile, Spain announced that it had set up a special monitoring unit to follow developments related to the flotilla. The Spanish government said the unit would observe the situation closely and coordinate with international partners to ensure the safety of civilians on board.

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