In the early hours of Wednesday, roughly 120 nautical miles (≈ 222 km) off Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla–Thousand Madleens to Gaza reported that nine boats were intercepted and boarded by Israeli naval units in international waters as they sailed toward the enclave carrying medicines, nutritional supplies and respiratory equipment.
According to the organization, the humanitarian cargo is valued at more than US$110,000 and was destined for hospitals overwhelmed by the blockade.
🇮🇱🇵🇸 | AHORA: Las fuerzas israelíes interceptaron una flotilla de ayuda liderada por la Coalición de la Flotilla de la Libertad en aguas internacionales mientras intentaba entregar suministros humanitarios a Gaza.
Ellos fueron llevados a un puerto israelí.pic.twitter.com/66sws4mOWF
— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) October 8, 2025
@elpais Una nueva Flotilla de la Libertad que se dirigía con ayuda humanitaria a Gaza ha sido interceptada en la madrugada de este miércoles por la Marina israelí, que ha asaltado las nueve embarcaciones que la integraban y detenido a unas 150 personas de 30 países, entre ellas a ocho españoles. Como sucedió hace justo una semana, cuando Israel cerró el paso a la anterior flotilla, la Global Sumud, el abordaje de los barcos se ha producido en aguas internacionales, en este caso a 120 millas náuticas —unos 220 kilómetros— del territorio palestino invadido. En esas aguas rige el derecho a la libre navegación, según la legislación internacional. La flotilla emprendió su travesía hace casi dos semanas desde los puertos Otranto y Catania, en Italia. #paletina #gaza #israel #flotilla #solidaridad ♬ sonido original – El País
The vessels and who was on board
In its statement, the campaign identified the ships: Abd Elkarim Eid, Alaa Al-Najar, Anas Al-Sharif, Gaza Sunbird, Leïla Khaled, Milad, Soul of My Soul, Um Saad and Conscience.
According to the organizers, around 145 people were traveling aboard, including doctors, journalists and elected representatives from multiple countries. “Their whereabouts are unknown,” they said after losing contact following the boardings.
What the organizers said
- Illegality of the operation: “Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers in international waters,” said David Heap of the Canadian Boat to Gaza Steering Committee and the Freedom Flotilla.
- Defiance of international courts: The coalition argues the seizure “violates international law” and defies binding orders requiring unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza.
- Disrupted transmissions: The flotilla reported signal cuts and blocked tracking systems, as well as the seizure of phones and equipment.
Israel’s account
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the vessels and their crews are being taken to a port under Israeli control and that deportation processing will follow. It added that no ship managed to breach the naval blockade imposed on Gaza.
What the live streams showed
Before the shutdown, a live feed from the Gaza Sunbird and from the flagship Conscience showed Israeli Navy speedboats encircling the vessels and soldiers boarding. Participants were seen wearing life jackets, seated, and following emergency protocols.
In one of the final broadcasts, spokesperson Kasim Aktag warned: “The boats have surrounded us. Soldiers are approaching. Never forget us.”
A second operation in less than a week
The episode comes days after the raid on the Flotilla Global Sumud, a previous mission made up of dozens of boats with hundreds of activists that were intercepted on the high seas.
According to the Sumud organization, more than 40 vessels were stopped in that operation and hundreds of crew members transferred to detention centers in the Negev Desert pending deportations.
For humanitarian groups, the back-to-back interceptions within a week tighten the chokehold on aid and send a chilling signal to future civilian missions.
Why it matters: humanitarian access and international law
- Access to critical supplies: Organizers say the cargo included medicines, nutritional supplements and respiratory equipment for a collapsed hospital network.
- High-seas jurisdiction: The coalitions argue that boardings in international waters are illegal interceptions, and that criminalizing civilian volunteers for delivering aid violates humanitarian obligations.
- Alarm bells: Support organizations highlight the risk to journalists and medical staff on board, and warn of the systematic disruption of live transmissions when boardings occur.
Next steps and demands
Support networks for the Freedom Flotilla are urging governments and diplomatic missions to demand:
- Immediate information on the whereabouts and condition of the 145 detainees.
- Guarantees for the physical safety of the crew and their proper consular assistance.
- Effective delivery of the humanitarian cargo to health centers in Gaza.
- A humanitarian corridor enabling the sustained entry of aid.