Occupation seizes 'Freedom Flotilla' ships in the Mediterranean and arrests dozens of activists

The command of the Global Freedom Flotilla announced a complete loss of communication with all ships participating in the journey to break the siege on the Gaza Strip, following a sudden attack by Israeli naval forces in the open Mediterranean Sea. Sources clarified that the attack led to the loss of control over the ships after they were surrounded by occupation warships.

Khalidia Abu Bakra, the flotilla's spokesperson, confirmed that occupation soldiers carried out a boarding operation during which they seized most of the ships participating in the international convoy. In media statements from the Spanish capital, Madrid, she indicated that this aggression represents clear piracy in international waters, aimed at preventing humanitarian aid from reaching those besieged in Gaza.

According to incoming information, the Israeli naval commando unit 'Shayetet 13' was responsible for carrying out the interception and seizure of the flotilla. Informed sources mentioned that the operation took place off the Cypriot coast, hundreds of kilometers from its final destination, reflecting the occupation's determination to prevent the ships from reaching even before they approached Palestinian territorial waters.

Immediately after gaining control of the ships, the occupation forces began arresting a large number of international activists who were on board, transferring them under heavy guard to naval warships. All detainees and confiscated ships are expected to be taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod for legal and security procedures against them.

For its part, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed in a brief statement that Tel Aviv will under no circumstances allow the breach of the naval blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip for years. The Foreign Ministry considered attempts to reach Gaza's shores a security provocation that necessitates direct military intervention to prevent it.

Prior to the loss of communication, tracking systems published on the flotilla's official website showed that the distance separating the convoys from Gaza's shores was approximately 300 nautical miles. Participants had observed suspicious movements of unidentified ships that began pursuing the flotilla as soon as it entered international waters, raising early fears of an imminent attack.

The Freedom Flotilla had set sail last Thursday from Marmaris port on the Turkish coast, on a humanitarian journey that included 54 boats and cargo ships. Activists and human rights defenders from about 70 countries around the world are participating in this initiative, through which they seek to highlight the escalating humanitarian suffering in the Strip as a result of the ongoing siege.

In the context of the legal response, the flotilla's command confirmed that it has already begun preparing legal files to prosecute the Israeli authorities before international courts on charges of maritime piracy. Abu Bakra stressed that what happened represents a blatant violation of international maritime law, which guarantees freedom of navigation in international waters, especially since the ships were purely civilian and humanitarian in nature.

This new attempt to break the siege comes amid difficult humanitarian conditions experienced by the residents of the Gaza Strip, as the flotilla was carrying quantities of medical aid and basic necessities. The journey received widespread international solidarity, with political and parliamentary figures from various continents among its members.

It is worth noting that the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007 has caused a near-complete paralysis in all aspects of life, and this convoy is one of the largest maritime attempts to challenge this closure. Despite the recent aggression, the campaign organizers affirmed that their efforts will not stop and that Israeli piracy will not prevent them from repeating the attempt in the future.

The campaign expected the Israeli occupation to seize the flotilla and prevent the breaking of the siege, and we will sue Israel for its violation of maritime law and piracy of our ships.