Israeli Warships Intercept Greta Thunberg’s Gaza Flotilla
By Kieran Kelly, Andrea Hamblin
Foreign ministry releases video showing activist being given water after forces board vessel
Greta Thunberg has been detained after her Gaza-bound aid flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces.
Boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) were boarded less than a hundred miles off the coast of the war-torn enclave after ignoring final orders to change course.
Organisers said some activists were arrested and that “the status of participants and crew remains unconfirmed”.
“This is an illegal attack on unarmed humanitarians in international waters,” GSF said.
Israel’s foreign ministry released a video of Ms Thunberg sitting on the deck beside a member of the Israeli forces as he appeared to hand her water and a jacket.
The ministry said in a statement: “Already several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port.
“Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”
But the interception has already been branded an “act of terrorism” and a “serious violation of international law” by Turkey’s foreign ministry.
Italy and Greece called on Israel not to hurt the activists “to ensure the safety and security of the participants and to allow for all consular protection measures”.
Thousands of people marched in support of the flotilla at demonstrations in major cities on Wednesday night, including in London, Athens, Brussels, Berlin and Rome.
More than 10,000 people joined pro-Palestine protests in Italy’s capital where the crowd chanted “if they stop the flotilla, we will shut everything down”, according to Il Messaggero newspaper.
Activist on the Meteque vessel raise their hands as Israeli forces begin to board
The Alma, carrying Ms Thunberg, a 22-year-old Swedish activist, was one of the first of 13 boats reported to be boarded by the Israeli forces.
It was unclear how many of the 500 people participating in the flotilla had been arrested.
In an update shortly after 3am Thursday, organisers said about 30 boats were still “sailing strong” towards Gaza and had reached 46 nautical miles from the Strip’s coastline “despite the incessant aggressions from the Israeli occupation navy”.
“We also want to confirm that our mission is going on,” a spokesman said in a video update.
“We have around 30 ships that are still fighting their way away from the military vessels of the occupation forces, trying to reach to the shores of Gaza. They are determined, they are motivated.”
Earlier, the lead boats of the flotilla were met by a ring of around 20 warships as they approached Gaza, where organisers reported signal jamming and received multiple warnings to hand over their aid and return, hampering communication.
Passengers were seen putting on life vests and sitting in a circle on deck as they braced for the takeover.
“Our vessels are being illegally intercepted. Cameras are offline and vessels have been boarded by military personnel. We are actively working to confirm the safety and status of all participants on board,” organisers of the flotilla said in a post on X.
Crew members of the Alma vessel were seen sitting on deck as they prepared to be intercepted by the Israeli navy
The flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona in August, had hoped to deliver food and medicine to the enclave, which is under a naval blockade.
National waters extend up to 12 nautical miles out to sea but countries can claim exclusive economic zones extending 200 nautical miles out to sea.
Prior to the intercept on Wednesday evening, organisers were defiant, saying: “We will not be intimidated by threats, harassment, or efforts to protect Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza.”
After Ms Thunberg’s boat was stopped, GSF vowed to “continue undeterred”.
Original source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/01/israel-prepares-to-intercept-sumud-flotilla-nearing-gaza/