Navy intercepts 21 of 58 vessels in Gaza flotilla hundreds of miles from the Strip

The Israeli Navy late Wednesday began intercepting an activist flotilla sailing to the Gaza Strip in a bid to breach Israel’s naval blockade on the Hamas-ruled enclave, according to the activists and Israeli officials.

According to tracking data, the Global Sumud Flotilla — which includes 58 vessels — was located near the Greek Island of Crete, hundreds of nautical miles (over 1,000 kilometers) from Israel, when confronted by Israeli forces.

By the morning hours of Thursday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the Navy had detained some 175 activists. In total, the Navy intercepted 21 of the Global Sumud Flotilla’s 58 vessels, security sources said.

During past attempts to challenge the naval blockade, the Navy has intercepted the boats much closer to Gaza’s shores, which the flotilla was expected to reach over the weekend.

The Foreign Ministry said that “due to the large numbers of vessels participating in the flotilla and the risk of escalation, and the need to prevent the breach of a lawful blockade, an early action was required in accordance with international law.”

“The operation was carried out in international waters peacefully and without any casualties​​​​​​​​​​​​​,” it said.

Israeli Navy vessels reportedly approached and fired warning shots at one of the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, about 80–100 nautical miles south of Kalamata, Greece pic.twitter.com/Yx8Qsphd5h

— VolgaLad (@cym27s) April 29, 2026

In footage published by flotilla organizers, an Israeli Navy officer could be heard calling on the activists to change course.

From our archive: Does Israel have the legal right to intercept flotillas?

“If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, you may do so through established and recognized channels. Please change course and return to the port of origin. If you are carrying humanitarian aid, you are invited to proceed to the port of Ashdod,” the officer said.

The Navy has called on the remaining activists to either turn back or sail to Ashdod if they have humanitarian aid, where it will be inspected before entering Gaza. If they continue on their course, the Navy said they would also be stopped.

The Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, released a video it said showed “condoms and drugs” were found aboard one of the intercepted vessels.

Same script, different year. The israeli navy thinks a radio warning can drown out the cries for justice. You call it a "maritime security blockade" — the rest of the world calls it a crime scene. We aren't "invited" to Ashdod; we aren't your guests. We are the witnesses you… pic.twitter.com/dElolWN59Y

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— Global Sumud Flotilla (@gbsumudflotilla) April 29, 2026

In a later post on X, the Foreign Ministry published a video showing some of the activists “enjoying themselves aboard Israeli vessels,” while adding that “approximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats of the condom flotilla are now making their way peacefully to Israel.”

The activists claimed that they faced a “violent raid in international waters,” during which the Israeli forces “systematically disabled various boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla.”

Approximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats of the condom flotilla are now making their way peacefully to Israel.

In the video: the activists enjoying themselves aboard Israeli vessels pic.twitter.com/0sz8kDpKLX

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 30, 2026

Global Sumud Flotilla claimed that “after smashing engines and destroying navigation arrays, the military retreated — intentionally leaving hundreds of civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels directly in the path of a massive approaching storm.”

“Furthermore, communications with multiple vessels have been jammed, severing their ability to coordinate or signal for help,” they added.

The activists aboard the flotilla departed from Spain earlier this month, after organizing a similar operation last year with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and hundreds more participants that was carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid.

Israeli officials repeatedly denounced that flotilla and previous smaller-scale attempts to reach Gaza by sea as publicity stunts, saying they brought insignificant amounts of aid. Israel insists sufficient amounts are entering the Strip, though humanitarian organizations have said it is not enough.

Earlier Wednesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced he was imposing sanctions on a crowdfunding campaign launched by Global Sumud Flotilla, which he said was “organized by the Hamas terror organization, in cooperation with additional international organizations and under the guise of a humanitarian aid flotilla.”

“The imposition of sanctions on the crowdfunding campaign constitutes a significant step in the effort to disrupt the flotilla’s sources of funding,” said a statement from Katz, adding that the move was “intended to deter donors from contributing to a terror organization.”

It was unclear what practical effect the sanctions would have. The statement noted that according to Israeli law, the defense minister can order the seizure of property of a designated terror organization or property intended to be used for terrorism.

Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since the Hamas terror group seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007 in a violent coup.

Israel said it was necessary in order to limit Hamas’s ability to smuggle in arms, a stance it has reiterated since the October 7, 2023, attack that started the Gaza war. Critics of the blockade said it amounts to collective punishment of the Strip’s roughly 2 million Palestinians.

Agencies and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.