Israel Intercepts Gaza Aid Flotilla; Court Extends Detention of Two Activists

Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters early Thursday. According to reports, the vessels were seized off the coast of Greece in a maritime area under Greek responsibility for search and rescue operations. BBC News reported that Israel released all but two activists in Greece after the interception.

An Israeli court has approved a two-day extension to the detention of two foreign activists from the flotilla, according to Al Jazeera. The two activists appeared before an Israeli court on Sunday. France 24 reported that the activists were seized from the Gaza aid flotilla and brought to Israel for questioning. Al-Monitor stated that Israel is quizzing the two Gaza flotilla activists.

Israel stated it had removed about 175 activists during the operation. The activists were initially held in Greece before two were transferred to Israel. No reports of injuries emerged during the operation, and sources agreed that it was conducted without damage to vessels or additional arrests beyond the initial group. Emergency responses followed well-rehearsed plans.

South China Morning Post reported that the detained Gaza flotilla activists face “extreme brutality,” a claim attributed to rights groups defending them. Israel has not commented on these allegations. Spain described the detention of one of its nationals as illegal. France 24 reported that Spain slammed the detention as illegal.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, as named by organizers, called the interception piracy. Israel’s foreign ministry described the flotilla as a PR stunt. The Greek government faced criticism after the incident occurred in its search and rescue zone, according to Le Monde. Organizers vowed to continue efforts to deliver aid.

The flotilla participants had intended to provide humanitarian supplies to address shortages in Gaza amid ongoing tensions over the Israeli blockade. The vessels’ operators have not been publicly identified in the available reporting. No publicly released evidence has documented the specific content of the supplies aboard the intercepted vessels.