Israeli authorities intercepted an aid flotilla bound for Gaza in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday, April 30, 2026, detaining two activists for questioning. Palestinian-Spanish citizen Saif Abukeshek and Brazilian citizen Thiago Ávila were among dozens of activists stopped by the Israeli navy off the coast of Crete while participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which sought to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territory amid Israel's naval blockade.
The flotilla, which departed from Barcelona, Spain, included approximately 180 activists across 22 boats. Israeli forces disabled vessels between Wednesday and Thursday, damaging engines and destroying navigation systems. According to reports, the disabled vessels were left without power in the path of an approaching storm. Authorities said Abukeshek was detained on suspicion of affiliation with a terrorist organization, while Ávila faced suspicion of illegal activity.
Most participants were released in Crete late Thursday. Organizers reported that 31 of the intercepted vessels reached safe waters and stated their intention to continue efforts to breach what they characterized as the illegal siege of Gaza. Organizers had announced that more than 70 boats and 1,000 participants from around the world planned to join the flotilla as it traveled east across the Mediterranean.
The Global Sumud Flotilla called for international intervention in response to the interception. "We demand that all governments do all they can to pressure the Israeli regime to release all the illegal abductees," the group said Friday. Greece's foreign ministry indicated it had requested that Israel withdraw its ships from the area and offered to facilitate the activists' disembarkation and repatriation.
Ávila later alleged abuse while in custody, though Israeli authorities denied the claim. The interception marks another chapter in recurring confrontations over maritime access to Gaza, where previous flotillas have similarly attempted to challenge the blockade.
