Middle East

Global Sumud Flotilla, Israel intercepts 50 boats: 24 Italians arrested

Four hundred activists arrested: 'Act of piracy, governments act'. Tajani asks for clarification from crisis unit and embassies

30 April 2026

L’equipaggio della Global Sumud Flotilla arrestato a largo di Creta dalla Marina israeliana via REUTERS

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The Global Sumud Flotilla, bound for Gaza to bring humanitarian aid, was intercepted in the night by Israeli patrol boats west of Crete in international waters. The Tel Aviv Navy claims to have seized some50 boats carrying 400 activists "hundreds of kilometres from the Israeli coast" and to have informed those on board that they are "under arrest".

A video posted on Telegram shows a crew of a Flotilla boat with their hands raised and an armed soldier boarding. "Dangerous and unprecedented escalation," the activists comment, "the kidnapping of civilians in the middle of the Mediterranean, more than 960 kilometres from Gaza, before the eyes of the whole world. This is piracy. Governments must act now to protect the Flotilla and hold Israel accountable for these flagrant violations of law'.

"Every government has an obligation to protect the more than 400 civilians on board and to respect international law. Silence at this time is total complicity," the press secretary added. "Immediate action is needed to guarantee the safety of the flotilla and to ensure that the humanitarian corridor to Gaza can be opened."

A Tel Aviv official said that due to the size of the Flotilla, it was decided to intercept it at a great distance from the Israeli coast. Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani immediately asked the Crisis Unit and the embassies in Tel Aviv and Athens to take up information with the local authorities to protect the Italians on board.

There are currently 24 Italian activists arrested, according to sources in the legal team. The activists were on some of the 22 boats intercepted so far. A total of 57 Italians are taking part in the mission. "It is extremely serious that activists arrested 150 nautical miles from Crete and 600 miles off the coast of Gaza are being taken to Israel," emphasise the Italian legal team.

Anouar El Anouni, spokesman for the EU Commission for Foreign Affairs, spoke on the matter: "Freedom of navigation in international law must be respected. This is a point. Furthermore, we have called and reiterate our call on Israel to respect international law, including international humanitarian law and international maritime law, which is very clear'.

"The driving force behind the provocation of the Flotilla is Hamas, in cooperation with professional provocateurs, with the aim of sabotaging the transition to the second phase of Trump's peace plan," writes the Israeli Foreign Ministry in a note, adding that "Israel is committed to ensuring freedom of navigation. Given the large number of vessels participating in the Flotilla, the risk of escalation, and the need to prevent the violation of a legal naval blockade, timely intervention was necessary, in accordance with international law. The intervention is in accordance with law'.