Khaberni - Once again -in international waters- Israeli naval boats attack the "Global Fleet of Steadfastness" as it heads to the Gaza Strip, in a humanitarian mission including hundreds of volunteer participants sailing aboard dozens of small ships, attempting to break the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Minutes before midnight, the operators of the Fleet of Steadfastness launched a distress signal and reported most of their boats in the Mediterranean were experiencing interference, followed by reports of military boats approaching their ships.
The Israeli Navy announced that it had started intercepting ships from the fleet near the Greek island of Crete, according to Israeli media. It confirmed that it had taken control of 21 ships out of 58, explaining that the current phase is preliminary and includes controlling part of the fleet, with the possibility of resuming operations against the remaining ships if needed if they do not return.
The Israeli Navy justified its attack on the fleet by saying that "trying to break the legal maritime blockade of Gaza constitutes a breach of international law", according to officers from the navy quoted by the newspaper "Maariv".
The newspaper quoted a military source saying, "The Israeli army is now enforcing the maritime blockade on Gaza based on the directives of the political leadership".
The Israeli Army Radio also confirmed that it had decided to take control of the fleet although it is far from the Israeli coastlines due to its large size, and the Israeli website "Walla" cited Israeli sources saying that some ships of the fleet would likely be towed to the port of Ashdod.
Where and when did the fleet set out?
The "Spring 2026 Mission" set out with about 39 boats, sailing from the city of Barcelona, Spain on April 12th, as the organizers planned for more than 100 ships and boats, departing from different ports in Spain, Italy, and Tunisia.
Last Saturday, April 25th, the ships arrived at the port of Syracuse in Sicily, and the next day 56 ships left the port of Augusta in Italy, heading towards Gaza.
Navigation data from the Marine Traffic site showed the movement of ships associated with the Global Fleet of Steadfastness in the eastern sector of the Mediterranean.
What is the significance of this initiative?
The current journey gains significant symbolic importance as it follows a previous attempt by the fleet in 2025, which was intercepted by the Israeli Navy in international waters and led to the arrest of hundreds of participants before being deported later.
The "Associated Press" reported that last fall's attempt saw dozens of boats approaching Gaza, before being intercepted or forced to return.
The organizers of the "Fleet of Steadfastness" describe their campaign as the "largest coordinated civilian maritime mobilization" towards the Gaza Strip, part of a declared journey to break the maritime blockade imposed on the sector.
The organizers say that the "Spring 2026 Mission" aims to deliver relief aid and open a civilian maritime passage to Gaza, in addition to supporting relief efforts and reconstruction. The official page of the mission mentions that the aid includes food, infant formula, medical supplies, hygiene products, and educational tools.
