Boats carrying activists and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza reposition in the port during a symbolic send-off as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 12, 2026. JOAN MATEU PARRA / AP
The organizers of a flotilla carrying pro-Palestinian activists aiming to break through an Israeli blockade in Gaza said Thursday, April 30, their boats were surrounded by Israeli "military boats". The flotilla, made up of more than 50 boats, set sail in recent weeks from Marseille in France, Barcelona in Spain and Syracuse in Italy.
In a post to X overnight, the Global Sumud Flotilla said that Israeli military boats had "illegally surrounded the flotilla in international waters and threatened kidnapping and violence". "Communications with 11 vessels have been lost," the organization added. The flotilla is currently off the coast of Greece, near Crete, according to the organisation's live tracking on its website.
"Our boats were approached by military speedboats, self-identified as 'israel', pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees," the organization added. "Boat communications are being jammed and a SOS was issued."
