On Friday, Israeli forces intercepted the last boat from an international flotilla attempting to breach Israel's sea blockade of Gaza, which has been severely affected by ongoing conflict. This operation coincided with widespread protests globally against Israel's actions in Gaza and the arrest of approximately 450 activists aboard the boats.
A far-right Israeli minister confronted the detained activists, ridiculing their humanitarian aid efforts and accusing them of terrorism in a video that circulated widely on social media on the same day.
The last vessel, named the Marinette, was lagging behind the other ships and was still en route to Gaza when Israeli forces stormed it in the early hours of Friday. This occurred a day after the Israeli navy intercepted 41 other boats as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, detaining the activists with plans for deportation.
Livestream footage from the Marinette captured the moment Israeli troops boarded the vessel. The flotilla aimed to deliver a symbolic quantity of humanitarian aid to Gaza and represented the largest effort thus far to challenge Israel's maritime blockade.
The interceptions began on Wednesday night and continued throughout Thursday as Israeli forces methodically stopped each boat off Gaza's shores. Notable activists aboard included climate activist Greta Thunberg and Mandla Mandela, the grandson of former South African president Nelson Mandela, alongside several European lawmakers who were detained.
Israeli authorities had previously cautioned that the Marinette would also face interception if it persisted in its mission. The detentions triggered a wave of international demonstrations against both the flotilla's interception and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Protests erupted across various continents, with large crowds in cities like Madrid and Barcelona, where tens of thousands rallied late Thursday. Other cities, including Rome, Paris, and Geneva, also witnessed significant demonstrations expressing condemnation of the intercepts and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Italy's largest trade union called for a one-day general strike on Friday in solidarity with the activists.
In Ashdod, Israel's southern port city, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir confronted the activists being processed for deportation, claiming they supported terrorism and mocking their aid mission. The footage captured him speaking while activists sat on the floor, with one shouting "Free Palestine," although it was unclear who that individual was from the video.
As Israel observed Yom Kippur, considered one of the most sacred days in the Jewish calendar, hundreds of police officers were deployed to manage the detention of the activists. Israeli officials had repeatedly criticized the flotilla and claimed some participants had connections to Hamas, yet provided scant evidence for these allegations, which the activists vehemently denied.
