Israeli Navy Attacks 'Resilience Flotilla' in International Waters, Seizes 7 Ships

Late Wednesday night, Israeli naval forces launched a military attack targeting the ships of the 'International Resilience Flotilla' while they were sailing in international waters. These ships aim to reach the shores of the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the long-standing siege imposed on it and deliver relief aid to the besieged population.

Media sources reported that naval units have already begun to take control of a number of the flotilla's ships in locations far from the Palestinian coast. The sources confirmed that Israeli forces have so far managed to seize 7 ships out of a total of 58 vessels participating in this massive naval convoy.

This military operation is the furthest-reaching carried out by the Israeli Navy in the history of intercepting siege-breaking flotillas. The military command decided to stop the ships hundreds of kilometers from the coast, specifically in the maritime area near the Greek island of Crete, to ensure they do not approach the Gaza Strip.

For their part, the organizers of the 'International Resilience Flotilla' announced that most of the participating boats were subjected to widespread electronic jamming operations before the direct attack began. The flotilla stated in field updates that the Italian-flagged ship 'Bianca' was among the first ships to be surrounded by Israeli warships.

These field developments come just hours after media leaks confirmed the occupation's preparations to intercept the convoy, which includes about 100 boats. Approximately 1000 international activists of various nationalities are participating in this humanitarian mission, carrying tons of medical and food aid designated for Palestinians.

'Mission Spring 2026' officially sailed from the Italian island of Sicily last Sunday after completing all logistical and legal preparations. Participants in this civilian initiative seek to highlight the humanitarian suffering in Gaza and attempt to impose a new reality that ends the policy of naval blockade.

It is worth noting that the 'Global Resilience Flotilla' is a civilian alliance founded in 2025, comprising representatives of human rights organizations and volunteers from various countries around the world. The current journey of the flotilla began from the Spanish city of Barcelona in mid-April, before the ships gathered in Italian ports to set off towards their final destination.

This confrontation is the second of its kind for this international alliance, following a previous experience that took place in September of last year. That experience also ended with a violent Israeli attack in international waters, resulting in the arrest of hundreds of activists and their forced deportation to their countries after the confiscation of the ships and their aid.

There is international concern about the safety of the solidarity activists on board the ships, given the communication blackout with most of them due to jamming. Human rights organizations are demanding immediate international intervention to protect the activists and ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The flotilla is under attack; the Italian ship Bianca is being approached, and most boats are experiencing intense jamming.