Gaza: The Global Sumud Flotilla reported on Tuesday that Israeli military vessels have continued their assault on a humanitarian aid convoy in international waters as the fleet makes its way towards the Gaza Strip. The flotilla stated that the Israeli army is illegally boarding vessels, and the situation remains tense as the convoy persists in its mission to reach Gaza despite these challenges.
According to Anadolu Agency, the flotilla's organizers revealed that 10 humanitarian boats managed to evade 22 hours of Israeli attacks in international waters and are now just 121 nautical miles from Gaza's shores. Earlier reports from the Israeli news website Walla indicated that the Israeli army had seized more than 40 of the 54 vessels participating in the voyage and detained approximately 300 activists.
This confrontation marks the second Israeli attack on the aid flotilla in over 24 hours, following Monday's assault in international waters. The flotilla, consisting of 54 boats, embarked on its journey last Thursday from the Turkish district of Marmaris, aiming to challenge the longstanding Israeli blockade on Gaza that has been in place since 2007.
This is not the first encounter of its kind involving the flotilla. In April, the Israeli army intercepted boats in international waters near the Greek island of Crete. At that time, the convoy included 345 participants from 39 countries, among them Turkish citizens. Israeli forces detained 21 boats carrying around 175 activists, while the remaining vessels continued towards Greek territorial waters. Most activists were released in international waters, except for two, a Spanish and a Brazilian activist, who were detained in Israel before being deported.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with around 2.4 million Palestinians, including approximately 1.5 million displaced individuals, living under severe conditions exacerbated by an ongoing two-year Israeli military campaign. This campaign has resulted in over 72,700 deaths and more than 172,700 injuries, predominantly affecting women and children, and has created severe famine conditions.
Despite a ceasefire announced in October 2025, Israel continues to restrict humanitarian aid access and executes daily strikes, which have resulted in additional casualties and injuries. Local authorities report that 877 Palestinians have been killed and 2,602 others injured since the ceasefire, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.