Israeli naval forces intercepted a large flotilla attempting to break the Gaza blockade, detaining dozens including European lawmakers, which has drawn widespread international condemnation and protests.
Israeli naval forces intercepted the 'Global Sumud Flotilla,' the largest yet to attempt to break the Gaza blockade, detaining dozens of activists and European lawmakers aboard. The flotilla, comprising over 40 boats and nearly 450 activists, was carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza, with its stated main goal being 'to break Israel’s illegal siege and end the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people,' a claim Israel vehemently denies. The operation, declared over by Israel's Foreign Ministry, comes at a time of growing international criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The interception sparked immediate widespread condemnation and protests in major cities globally, including Rome, Istanbul, Athens, and Buenos Aires. In Italy, demonstrations led to scuffles with police, and the country's largest union called for a general strike. Israel dismissed the flotilla as a 'provocation,' stating that various countries have offered to deliver the aid the boats were carrying.
