Overview

• Israeli forces intercepted roughly 40–44 vessels in international waters overnight and are taking several hundred participants to Ashdod for processing before deportation to Europe, according to official statements.
• Greta Thunberg was among those detained; in a pre‑recorded message released by organizers she described the detention as an abduction, while Israel said all detainees were safe and in good health.
• Organizers claim the vessel Mikeno reached within a few kilometers of Gaza, but the Israeli military rejects this as a tracking error and says no boat breached the blockade.
• Activists reported ramming and water‑cannon use during boardings, with no injuries reported, and they maintain the interdiction in international waters was illegal.
• Backlash grew quickly as Colombia expelled Israeli diplomats and canceled a trade deal, Spain summoned Israel’s envoy, Italy’s CGIL called a general strike, and authorities in Turkey opened inquiries, while the fate of seized cargo remains unclear after organizers rejected offloading via Ashdod.