ISRAEL: The Pirates of the Mediterranean

The Israeli naval forces intercepted several ships from the Global Sumud flotilla (GSF) that were heading towards the Gaza Strip in an effort to break the blockade. Although it is still a developing story, it has been reported that a few vessels were able to continue their voyage despite the attacks. Reportedly, Israeli forces have apprehended 223 international activists who were on a humanitarian aid convoy bound for Gaza. Nevertheless, one ship, the Mikeno, seems to have successfully breached the blockade and arrived in Palestinian waters, a fact the Israeli authorities deny. Mikeno’s last known position according to the GSF tracker was 31.5217, 34.2353.

As of Thursday, out of approximately 45 ships, over 30 had either been intercepted or were believed to have been intercepted, based on the flotilla’s tracking system. Israel’s foreign ministry announced that the apprehended activists were being detained and transported to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Social media platforms are currently flooded with videos of the Israeli operation in international waters, which many supporters, including the Global Sumud Flotilla’s organisers, characterise as an illegal attack on unarmed humanitarians.

Hassan Massoud from Al Jazeera reported live from the Shireen Abu Akleh vessel, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is transporting legal teams to assist activists who have been detained by Israeli forces. This vessel is recording supposed breaches of humanitarian, international, and maritime law by Israel during the interceptions, which will be presented to the International Court of Justice. Massoud stated that “the flotilla is resolute in its mission to persist, despite ongoing Israeli military actions that have occurred since last night.”

The GSF vessels “Florida” and “All In” were intercepted, and their crew was threatened before being taken hostage at gunpoint by the Israeli occupation forces.

ISRAELI THUGS KIDNAP HUMANITARIANS AT GUNPOINT@gbsumudflotilla boats “Florida” and “All In” were boarded and crew threatened & abducted at gunpoint by occupation forces from the rogue state Israel. pic.twitter.com/R3iSvR5gtJ

— Patrick Henningsen (@21WIRE) October 2, 2025

Since Israel’s unprovoked attacks on the flotilla, protests have broken out globally. Israel’s interception has triggered many reactions from governments around the World. The UK government expresses that it is “very concerned” about the situation, whilst South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa called on Israel to immediately release South Africans and others, including liberation hero Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela. Malaysia, Pakistan, Colombia, Turkey, Brazil, Norway, and Ireland, just to name a few, have all condemned the Israeli raid on the humanitarian convoy and asked Israel to treat the activists humanely. Demonstrators gathered in the streets across Italy, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and numerous other nations to express their solidarity with the flotilla, condemning Israel’s total neglect of international law and the ongoing ethnic cleansing efforts in Gaza.

According to the Israeli press, most of the flotilla’s 47 vessels have been intercepted and boarded by the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit. Once they arrive in Israel, the detained activists are expected to be transferred to the Ketziot prison in the Negev desert and subsequently deported to their respective countries. Some of the activists are said to be arriving at the port of Ashdod on board an Israeli Navy logistics support vessel.

IMAGE: An Israeli Navy logistics support vessel moves in the Mediterranean Sea toward the port of Ashdod, October 2, 2025. (Source: AP Photo/Leo Correa)

At this stage, the only certainty that can be established is that the act of harassing or intercepting the flotilla against the wishes of its crew while in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea is a blatant breach of international law. The Conversation has the story…

Donald Rothwell reports for The Conversation…

Israel’s interception of the Gaza aid flotilla is a clear violation of international law

The Israel Defence Force has intercepted a flotilla of humanitarian vessels seeking to deliver aid to Gaza, taking control of multiple vessels and arresting activists, including Greta Thunberg.

The interceptions took place in the Mediterranean Sea between 70-80 nautical miles off the Gaza coast. These are international waters where international law recognises high seas freedom of navigation for all vessels.

Israel has countered by arguing it has a maritime blockade, which prohibits entry to Gaza by foreign vessels. Israel has also suggested the flotilla was supported by Hamas – an assertion the flotilla organisers have rejected.

ALARM: ILLEGAL INTERCEPTION
Israeli naval forces have illegally intercepted and boarded the Global Sumud Flotilla vessel Otaria.
Communications are cut, and the status of the unarmed humanitarians is unconfirmed. Governments must demand their immediate safety and release pic.twitter.com/xaSrH3g83r

— Global Sumud Flotilla Commentary (@GlobalSumudF) October 2, 2025

Gaza humanitarian aid flotillas

The Global Sumud Flotilla was comprised of more than 40 boats carrying humanitarian aid (food, medical supplies and other essential items), along with several hundred parliamentarians, lawyers and activists from dozens of countries.

The flotilla departed Spain in late August and has been making its way eastwards across the sea, with stops in Tunisia, Italy and Greece. Along the way, the Italian and Greek governments deployed naval escorts to ensure their safe passage. Passengers on the boats alleged they had been harassed by drones at multiple points in the voyage.

This flotilla campaign is the latest iteration of a movement that has existed for over 15 years to challenge Israel’s long-running blockade of the Gaza Strip. Earlier this year, a ship called the Conscience, carrying activists and aid bound for Gaza, was hit by explosions off the coast of Malta. Israel then intercepted the Madleen, with Thunberg and other activists on board, in June, and the Handala in July.

IMAGE: Swedish activist Greta Thunberg talks to journalists after being deported from Israel on June 10 following her arrest. Anders Wiklund/TT/EPA

And in 2010, a flotilla tried to reach Gaza carrying humanitarian relief and hundreds of activists. Israeli commandos boarded the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, leading to a violent confrontation that resulted in the deaths of ten activists. The deaths drew widespread condemnation and strained Israeli-Turkish ties for years.

The legality of Gaza’s naval blockade

The international law related to the actions of the flotilla vessels and Israel’s capacity to intervene is complex.

Israel has imposed blockades of Gaza in various forms for nearly 20 years. The legal basis for the blockades and their consistency with international law, particularly the law of the sea, has been contentious, which was highlighted during a UN inquiry that followed the Mavi Marmara incident. While Israel’s legal relationship with Gaza has varied during this time, Israel is now considered an occupying power in Gaza under international law.

The roles of occupying powers were codified in the Fourth Geneva Convention in 1949 and built upon the legal obligations that Allied powers assumed in Germany and Japan at the end of the Second World War. The Geneva Convention outlines the clear legal framework for occupying powers. In recent decades, Israel has been both a de jure (recognised under the law) and de facto occupying power in Palestine. In 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories was illegal under international law.

As an occupying power, Israel controls all access to Gaza, whether by land, air or sea. Aid trucks are only permitted to enter Gaza under strict controls. Foreign air force aid drops that have occurred in recent months have only been permitted under strict Israeli control, as well.

Very little aid has arrived by sea since the war began because Israel has severely restricted maritime access to Gaza. The United States built a floating pier off the coast to deliver aid in 2024, but this was soon abandoned because of weather, security and technical issues.

This clearly indicated, however, that Israel was prepared to permit the flow of maritime aid from its closest ally, the US. This exception to the blockade was not applied to other humanitarian actors.

Intercepting ships in international waters

While delivery of aid by sea is legally problematic at the moment, there are limits to Israel’s ability to disrupt flotillas. The freedom of navigation is central to the law of the sea. As such, the flotilla is entitled to sail unimpeded in the Mediterranean Sea.

Any harassment or stopping of the flotilla within the Mediterranean’s international waters is therefore a clear violation of international law. Crucial to this is the actual location where Israeli forces intercept and board flotilla vessels.

Israel can certainly exercise control over the 12 nautical mile territorial sea off Gaza’s shores. Its closure of the territorial sea to foreign vessels would be justified under international law as a security measure, as well as to ensure the safety of neutral vessels due to the ongoing war.

Flotilla organisers said their ships were intercepted between 70 to 80 nautical miles from shore, well beyond Gaza’s territorial sea. No doubt this was done for operational reasons. The closer the flotilla came to the Gazan coast, the more difficult it would be for the Israel Defence Force to successfully intercept each ship, raising the possibility that at least one vessel may make landfall.

IMAGE: This image, taken from a video released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, claims to show activist Greta Thunberg, right, as she is removed after the Israeli navy intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla. Israeli Foreign Ministry/AP

Scores of activists on board the ships have reportedly been detained and will be taken into custody in the Israeli port of Ashdod. They will then likely be quickly deported.

The activists have protections under international human rights law, as well, including access to foreign diplomats exercising consular protection for their citizens.

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