Israeli forces detain 428 activists after intercepting Gaza-bound flotilla

Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla on May 18 in international waters near Cyprus. The fleet had departed Marmaris, Turkiye, on May 14 carrying activists and symbolic humanitarian supplies intended for Gaza. Over two days, commandos boarded all vessels and detained 428 people from more than 45 countries.

The seven passengers from the sailboat La Sirena were transferred at gunpoint to the Nahshon, one of two Israeli military landing craft converted into floating prisons. Detainees were ordered to leave personal items and passports behind. They were then processed individually, with names and nationalities recorded when passport numbers could not be recalled.

Conditions aboard the Nahshon After processing, detainees were moved into a compound formed by six shipping containers. One container served as a processing area where individuals reported being struck and forced through a white door into the main holding area.

Others described hearing repeated sounds of kicks, screams, and Taser discharges from behind the same door. Guards positioned at the corners of the deck kept weapons trained on the group. Additional accounts mentioned strobe lights, laser sights directed at individuals, and stun grenades thrown into the compound during several entries by naval personnel.

One container displayed a sticker reading "F* Hamas" alongside Israeli and U.S. flags.

Release and observations Toward the end of the first day of detention, some detainees reported seeing pigeons and guards donning lifejackets, which they interpreted as signs of nearing land. Shortly afterward, naval personnel ordered the group into a container and requested volunteers to clean the area before departure. The detention lasted more than 50 hours in total.