The Israeli Navy left several boats from the recent Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla drifting at sea after intercepting them and detaining the activists onboard, potentially endangering other vessels and creating an environmental hazard, Army Radio reports.
According to the report, the boats were marked on maritime navigation maps, but stormy weather caused them to drift abandoned and without anchors in open waters.
During previous flotillas, the IDF towed some of the vessels to Israel, but this time the boats were allegedly left at sea.
In response to the report, a military source tells The Times of Israel that “there is no legal obligation to tow the vessels to Israel.”
“The vessels were marked as navigational hazards. Due to the storm and highly restrictive operational conditions, it was not possible to tow them to shore,” the source adds.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 25, 2026
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