Overview

• An Israeli official said boats carrying more than 400 people were prevented from reaching Gaza as naval forces towed seized vessels to the port of Ashdod.
• Flotilla organizers reported that 42 vessels were stopped, leaving the Marinette as the lone boat still heading toward Gaza.
• Prominent activists, including Greta Thunberg and Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, were detained after boardings that began about 70 nautical miles from shore.
• Legal views diverge on the operation’s legality under the law of the sea and wartime blockade rules, while Spain’s prosecutors plan to gather information for possible international proceedings.
• Demonstrations erupted worldwide, including about 15,000 people in Barcelona, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the navy’s conduct as professional and efficient.