Ankara, Turkey. Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla said Israeli forces intercepted 10 of their boats on Monday and that contact had been lost with a total of 23 vessels in the eastern Mediterranean. Israel said it would not allow any breach of its naval blockade on Gaza.
Intercept reports and video footage
Organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said military vessels were approaching and intercepting their fleet, and that Israeli forces were boarding the first of their boats. Live video showed military vessels approaching the vessels on Monday.
The group said 10 boats had been intercepted and contact lost with 23 of the 54 vessels in the flotilla. It said there were 426 people taking part from 39 countries, and named some two dozen Turks among those on the intercepted vessels, about 250 nautical miles (463 km) from Gaza.
Israel cites blockade
Earlier on Monday, Israel’s foreign ministry said on X that it “will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza”. The ministry also called on “all participants in this provocation to change course and turn back immediately”.
Departure from Turkey and previous attempt
The organisers said ships had set sail for a third time on Thursday from southern Turkey after earlier attempts to deliver aid to Gaza were intercepted by Israel in international waters.
The previous flotilla departed from Spain on April 12. Israeli forces intercepted vessels in that group, taking more than 100 pro-Palestinian activists to Crete and detaining two others in Israel.
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