A ship still advances towards Gaza after Israel seizes fleet

Marinette is still in contact with the organizers, but most of the 40 boats carrying aid were intercepted by Israel.

At least one ship is still heading towards Gaza in the Sumud Global Flotilla, after Israeli forces intercepted most of the boats approaching the Palestinian enclave to deliver vital aid.

On Wednesday night, Israeli naval forces began intercepting several ships and taking them on board towards the Israeli port of Ashdod.

Flotilla organizers confirmed that at least 21 ships were intercepted by Israeli forces.

Another 18 ships did not communicate with the organizers since the early hours and are believed to have been intercepted.

On Thursday morning, a tracker showed that the Mikeno ship had entered Palestinian territorial waters off the coast of Gaza.

At 9am UTC in Gaza, the ship Marinette was still in contact with organizers and heading towards the enclave. It is one of the furthest ships from Gaza and will likely be intercepted as it approaches.

Mikeno, which was tracked approaching Gaza early in the morning, lost communication with organizers at 08:21 UTC. His whereabouts are unknown, and the tracker remained stationary.

Each individual boat uses three methods to communicate with the organizers: an Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracker, CCTV operated by a shore support team, and radio communication.

Organizers told Middle East Eye that the Mikeno’s location in Gaza waters was based on AIS, but there was no update from anyone on board.

“Marinette is online and very excited,” said a source from the Sumud Global Flotilla. “They were behind the fleet and trying to catch up, which probably spared them.”

Israel said none of the Sumud Global Flotilla vessels carrying activists and humanitarian aid had broken the blockade of the territory.

“None of the Hamas and Sumud provocation yachts were successful in their attempt to enter an active combat zone or violate the legal naval blockade,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, falsely linking the flotilla to Hamas.

The air, land and sea blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, which has lasted more than 17 years, is illegal under international law.

Referring to Marinette, the Israeli Foreign Ministry added: “One last ship of this provocation remains in the distance. If it approaches, its attempt to enter an active combat zone and break the blockade will also be thwarted.”

High-profile boats are the first targets

Israel’s Foreign Ministry released images showing climate activist Greta Thunberg, the flotilla’s best-known activist, surrounded by armed soldiers on one of the boats on Wednesday night.

When the interceptions began, the largest boats with the most well-known figures were the first targets, organizers told Middle East Eye. The ships Alma and Sirius were among the first to be seized.

Some of the boats were about 70 nautical miles from Gaza when Israeli forces arrived.

During each intercept, Israeli navy ships approached the boat and used a loudspeaker to announce to passengers that they should “turn off the engine.”

At the same time, Israeli forces shined bright lights on the ships, and passengers reported by radio that they were sprayed with some type of liquid.

Based on radio communications heard by MEE, on Wednesday night, several smaller boats shut down their engines as they entered the area where previous flotillas were intercepted by Israel.

While Israeli forces concentrated on the larger vessels, these smaller boats managed to pass through the “interception zone”. It is likely that most have already been intercepted.

The flotilla, which transports food and medicine to Gaza, is made up of more than 40 civilian vessels with around 500 people on board, including parliamentarians, lawyers and activists.

Videos shared by passengers on Telegram showed activists holding up their passports, saying they had been kidnapped and taken to Israel against their will. They emphasized that the flotilla’s mission was peaceful and humanitarian.

The whereabouts of most of the intercepted boats are unclear. Based on previous Gaza-bound flotillas, it usually takes a few hours between Israeli interception and arrival at the port of Ashdod.

Israeli authorities have begun deportation proceedings for activists aboard the seized Sumud Global Flotilla without allowing them to receive legal advice, legal and human rights organization Adalah reported on Thursday.

“These proceedings were initiated without prior notice to their lawyers and denying participants access to legal advice,” Adalah said.

“This constitutes a serious violation of due process and a denial of participants’ fundamental rights. Adalah will continue to seek access and take necessary legal action.”

Governments condemn “cowardly attack”

Several countries condemned the Israeli interceptions.

Spanish Labor Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz condemned Israel’s attack on the Gaza humanitarian aid flotilla as “a crime against international law” and demanded the immediate release of those detained.

Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “regrets the Israeli government’s military action, which violates rights and puts the physical well-being of peaceful protesters at risk.”

He added: “The responsibility for the safety of detainees now rests with Israel.”

Among those on board were 15 Brazilian citizens, including congresswoman Luizianne Lins.

Pakistan strongly condemned Israel’s interception, describing it as a “cowardly attack”.

“We hope and pray for the safety of all those who were illegally detained by Israeli forces and call for their immediate release. Their crime was to bring humanitarian aid to the unfortunate Palestinian people,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also denounced the naval attack, calling it a “terrorist” act.

Originally published by Middle East Eye on 10/02/2025

By Rayhan Uddine Khaled Shalaby