Israeli naval forces intercepted several vessels from a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid on Wednesday night. The flotilla, according to its organizers, sought to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Flotilla organizers stated on social media that Israeli naval personnel intercepted and boarded their vessels, including the Global Sumud Flotilla’s Sirius, in what they described as international waters. They reported that communications were cut, and the status of passengers and crew was unknown, characterizing the action as an “illegal attack on unarmed humanitarians.” An American volunteer separately indicated that at least three boats had been intercepted with military personnel aboard.
Conversely, Israel’s foreign ministry released a video showing an individual identified as from the Israeli Navy. The individual warned the flotilla about approaching a “blockaded zone” and advised that aid could be sent through “established channels” by diverting to the port of Ashdod in Israel instead of proceeding directly to Gaza.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/world/middleeast/gaza-flotilla-israel.html