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Israeli Forces Spark Global Outrage by Intercepting Sumud Flotilla Off Gaza Coast [Updated]

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Yves here. This article gives some insight into the stat of play with the Israel boarding of ships in the Sumud Gaza relief effort, but is light on what happens next. Israel says the individuals they captured will be prosecuted in Israeli courts. At a minimum, that means beaten up in Israel gaols. They are being accused of being Hamas collaborators and can be expected to receive the sort of rough handling that has been repeatedly decried by human rights group. For instance, from the BBC in Blindfolded, bound and beaten: Palestinians tell of Israeli jail abuse:

Israel’s leading human rights organisation says conditions inside Israeli prisons holding Palestinian detainees amount to torture.

B’tselem’s report entitled “Welcome to Hell”, contains testimony from 55 recently released Palestinian detainees, whose graphic testimony points to a dramatic worsening of conditions inside prisons since the start of the Gaza war 10 months ago.

It’s the latest in a series of reports, including one last week by the UN, which contain shocking allegations of abuse directed against Palestinian prisoners.

B’tselem says the testimony their researchers have gathered is remarkably consistent.

“All of them again and again, told us the same thing,” says Yuli Novak, B’tselem’s executive director.

“Ongoing abuse, daily violence, physical violence and mental violence, humiliation, sleep deprivation, people are starved.”

The mere interception of these ships is sparking protests in Europe. When word gets out of abuse of citizens of these countries, expect the BDS movement and port worker embargoes on loading and servicing vessels going to and from Israel to increase greatly.

Conor had warned that Meloni was facing a public revolt if she (as expected) capitulated to US pressure and pulled by the Italian navy vessel that had been one of the escorts of the Sumud flotilla.

And fresh from DJG, Reality Czar:

Herebelow, I attach a screen shot from the latest e-blast from Arci (the association founded by the commies that is an umbrella for associations, cultural institutions, leisure activities, and student groups). The Karma is the boat sponsored by Arci.

Here in Torino, there already were demonstrations last night. I received a notice of a demo for 18,00 (6:00 p.m.) today, and I will try to get to the Piazza Castello to check on it.

Tomorrow, the CGIL, the main union (also founded by commies!) has called for people to muster at 9:00 a.m. There are other demos called for 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

More info later, as things develop.

And as Conor Gallagher undoubtedly knows, being so astute about Italy, poor little Giorgia Meloni has already made some self-defeating, self-pitying statements. Not that such rhetorical slop has much effect — either way — these days.

By Stephen Prager and Jessica Corbett, staff writers at Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams

This is a developing story… Please check back for updates…

Israel intercepted multiple boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla seeking to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip late Wednesday, generating outrage and displays of solidarity from across the globe.

“History will side with the flotilla,” said former UK Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn, who remains in Parliament. “And their bravery will only inspire more people to join our global movement for Palestine.”

Turkey’s foreign ministry described the interception as a “terrorist act… which targeted civilians acting peacefully,” while Colombian President Gustavo Petro booted the entire Israeli diplomatic delegation from his country immediately following the news.

In Barcelona, hundreds of outraged protesters gathered outside the Israeli consulate. Similar scenes broke out in other cities around the world, including Istanbul and Brussels.

The Guardian reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) boarded at least two vessels roughly 75 miles away from Gaza. A livestream from the flotilla showed signals from boat after boat going dark after the convoy was surrounded by over 20 Israeli naval ships.

According to Drop Site News—whose editor Alex Colston has been reporting from one of the vessels—by midnight local time, at least six boats from the flotilla had been intercepted and boarded by the IDF.

After midnight, one sailor shared on the livestream that Israeli ships were spraying the flotilla boats with water cannons. By 1:00 am, the stream only showed the Meteque, where sailors held their hands above their heads as the IDF ordered them to stop their engine.


Sailors on the Meteque, a boat with the Global Sumud Flotilla, held their hands above their heads as Israeli forces ordered them to stop their engine off the Gaza coast at around 1:00 am local time on October 2, 2025. (Photo: screenshot/Global Sumud Flotilla/YoutTube)

An earlier video from flotilla activists shows the moment that Brazilian organizer Thiago Ávila received a message from an IDF soldier who ordered the flotilla to turn around.

“You are entering an active war zone,” the soldier is heard saying over an intercom. “If you attempt to breach the naval blockade, we will stop your vessel and act to confiscate it through legal proceedings in court.”

In response, Ávila pointed to the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures on Gaza and the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ávila asked Israeli forces to “stand down,” “not commit another war crime,” and “not engage with our peaceful, nonviolent, humanitarian solidarity mission for the Palestinian people in Gaza.”


The flotilla’s more than 40 civilian boats are carrying hundreds of humanitarians, journalists, and other noteworthy figures from dozens of countries around the world. They include the late South African President Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela; American actress Susan Sarandon; former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau; and multiple other European politicians.

Another video shows one of the flotilla’s most famous participants, 22-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, being detained by an IDF soldier.


The flotilla set sail from Barcelona a few weeks ago, in response to Israel’s illegal near-total blockade of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, which has resulted in mass starvation. A group of United Nations experts warned in early September that any attempt by Israel to stop the vessels from delivering aid “would constitute a grave violation of international law and humanitarian principles.”

Throughout their journey toward Gaza, the flotilla members have faced numerous threats from the Israeli government, which has attempted to smear the humanitarian mission as an effort to advance the agenda of Hamas.

Last week, while still off the coast of Greece, the flotilla was swarmed with drones and attacked with flash-bang grenades believed to have been launched by Israel, which has a history of targeting such missions. That attack initially led the governments of Italy and Spain to send naval ships to offer protection to the flotilla, but they have since turned back as the boats moved closer to Gaza.

Israel’s actions against the Global Sumud Flotilla follow its interception of multiple Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla Coalition boats earlier this year. Edward Ahmed Mitchell, deputy executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Wednesday that “once again, the Israeli occupation has demonstrated that it will kidnap humanitarian activists and engage in piracy in international waters, all to maintain its lawless blockade of the Palestinian people.”

“Every nation that pays lip service to international law should condemn this illegal attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla and take their own steps to forcibly break the siege of Gaza,” he argued. “In the case of Western nations that continue to enable Israel’s genocide even as their own citizens risk life and limb to stop it, anti-Palestinian racism and the influence of anti-Palestinian lobby groups clearly explains their ongoing complicity.”

“We applaud the participants in the flotilla for their courage,” he added, “we demand their immediate release, and we urge the international community, including Western, Arab, and Muslim nations, to take action against the Israeli occupation for its crimes.“”

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Update: 11:15 AM EDT: The Wall Street Journal reports that, contrary to Israel’s earlier threats, it will be deporting rather than prosecuting the activists.

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9 comments

  1. DJG, Reality Czar

    The demonstrations and strikes have already started in Italy, with a general strike called for Friday, 3 October. Here in Torino, there is already a demo called for this evening — and I saw a report that there was a dustup at the Stazione Porta Nuova this morning. I’m not sure about that — and I live only a few blocks from the train station.

    Here is a report on who is on the boats. From Avvenire, a Catholic daily. Cardinal Zuppi, head of the bishops’ conference, has been outspoken.

    https://www.avvenire.it/attualita/pagine/flotilla-attivisti

    One Eurodeputy from the Partito Democratico. One member, PD, of the Camera dei deputati. One Eurodeputy from the Italian Greens (who are most definitely not the German Greens). One member of the Italian Senate from 5Stars. This is going to get interesting — because about 50 of the 450 people on the boats are Italian. And Italy has more active parliamentarians involved than other countries.

    When I was in Palermo on 4 September, I reported how I had walked out of a theater after an afternoon performance of Sicilian puppetry into the back of the demonstration in support of the launch of the Flotilla. Keep in mind that after the Barcelona contingent left, another large group of boats mustered at Catania in Sicily. They then moved to Siracusa and Augusta before joining the Barcelona group on the journey to Crete.

    The support here is widespread: Culturally, denizens of the Anglosphere have to keep in mind that Sicily is some 80 km from Tunisia, that the route from Sicily to Crete is ancient one, that Italians have ancient ties to the Levant. In a sense, there is nothing exotic about the Flotilla.

    I will check on events and try to give some on-the-ground impressions later / tomorrow.

    Restiamo umani.

    PS: A wonderful essay by the excellent Silvia Truzzi. Those in Italy can wander down to the edicola for a paper edition — and read the essay over an afternoon caffè. This may or may not open, given FQs stalwart paywall:

    https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/in-edicola/articoli/2025/10/02/grazie-alla-flotilla-perche-ci-restituisce-speranza-nella-pace/8146041/

    Reply ↓
    1. lyman alpha blob

      The Greeks just had a short general strike protesting labor issues – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/01/general-strike-against-13-hour-day-brings-greece-to-a-halt

      Hopefully they’ll add this issue to the docket and continue with their protests. I really don’t know what’s going on in Greek PM Mitsotakis’ head. Given his family history of being driven out of Greece by the military junta, one might think he wouldn’t be such a strong advocate of Israeli fascists – hopefully the Greek people will help him get his mind right on this issue. There was a theory floated that he feels Israel can remove the Turks from Cyprus. The story of the frog and the scorpion comes to mind, because while Israel may just do that, it will probably lead to Israel occupying Cyprus and maybe Crete too, just for good measure. Israel and Greece have performed joint military exercises recently near Crete, and I have to wonder if the drone attacks mentioned in the article originated in Greece. Time for the Greeks to stand up like they did the last time fascists came around and answer with a resounding Όχι! I will have to contact my newfound commie Greek relatives and get the temperature there.

      And as you have noted DJG, Akrotiri delenda est.

      Reply ↓
    2. .Tom

      Thanks DJG. Go Italian demos!

      Yesterday I checked if there is anything going on here in Boston that I could add a body to. I found nothing. I don’t think there’s much awareness of the flotilla or what just happened to it.

      Reply ↓
  2. Balan Aroxdale

    That attack initially led the governments of Italy and Spain to send naval ships to offer protection to the flotilla, but they have since turned back as the boats moved closer to Gaza.

    An utterly humiliating spectacle for the european navies. Compare and contrast to various naval sabre rattlings over fishing rights or places like Gibraltar even very recently. Yet all 4 militarys, Italy, Spain, Greece and Turkey, will not dare approach Israel even if their own citizens are under attack. The abject cravenness beggars belief. Are these the same militaries who are supposed to enact a coup once their citizen begin to vote the other way?

    Reply ↓
  3. lyman alpha blob

    Meanwhile, there’s the inevitable blowback – https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/two-dead-uk-synagogue-attack-124713523.html

    I do hope the dockworkers follow through on their threats to shut down everything headed to Israel if the flotilla was interfered with.

    And did anyone catch Larry Wilkerson on Nima’s show yesterday? He was very hot under the collar, and basically calling for Iran to go ahead and level Israel right now as a response to their genocide, and not wait around for Israel to attack them again first.

    Reply ↓
  4. Acacia

    They are being accused of being Hamas collaborators …

    Many will see this for what it is.

    Israel has arrived at a very dark place, and all great Neptune’s ocean will never wash the blood from their hands.

    Reply ↓
    1. Yves Smith Post author

      Israel has backed down from its earlier threat to prosecute any activists it captured. The Wall Street Journal reports it is deporting them. We will soon see if Israel unduly roughs them up while in custody, such as by using unduly tight zip-ties.

      Reply ↓
      1. Acacia

        And they’re calling the flotilla “the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts”.

        Deport the activists, smear them as terrorists, and steal impound the boats — tho what else would we expect from Israel now?

        Reply ↓

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