Organisers of an aid flotilla heading to Gaza on Tuesday said Israeli forces had intercepted 41 of their vessels in the eastern Mediterranean, leaving only 10 boats still sailing toward the besieged enclave.
According to the organisers, the vessel closest to Gaza, named Sirius, was about 145 nautical miles from the territory at the time of the announcement. The flotilla, organised under the banner of the Global Sumud Flotilla, had departed from southern Turkey on Thursday in what organisers described as their third attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The group said the convoy consisted of 54 vessels carrying 426 participants from 39 countries. Earlier attempts by the coalition to reach Gaza were reportedly intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters, raising concerns among activists and humanitarian organisations over access to the Palestinian territory.
Israel, however, maintained its position against the flotilla’s mission. The country’s foreign ministry said on Monday that it “will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza,” and urged all participants involved in what it described as a “provocation” to immediately turn back.
Reacting to the latest developments, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the interception of the vessels, describing those aboard as “voyagers of hope.”
Speaking in Ankara on Monday night, the Turkish president called on the international community to take action against Israel’s conduct in the Mediterranean.
Melissa Enoch
