• Aid vessels stormed in international waters, over 1,000km from Gaza; organisers slam military interception as act of ‘piracy’ on open sea
• Former JI senator Mushtaq Ahmad is believed to be among captives
• Tel Aviv says detainees being taken to Greece

ATHENS: Israel’s military intercepted a fleet of vessels carrying humanitarian aid in international waters near the Greek island of Crete and “kidnapped” 211 members attempting to reach the blockaded Palestinian enclave, organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla said on Thursday.

Former Jamaat-i-Islami senator Mushtaq Ahmad was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla mission, though it was not immediately clear if he was among those taken into Israeli custody.

Before communications were jammed, he posted videos to social media platform X saying, “Flotilla under attack, Israeli terrorist army has captured 11 of our boats.”

Israel confirmed that dozens of activists were in its custody, and would be taken to Greece. Its foreign ministry had earlier said that around 175 activists had been taken off more than 20 boats.

He said they were attacked by drones and navy vessels, urging the international community to “raise your voice for Palestine.”

The operation took place near the Greek island of Crete, over 1,000 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, an “unprecedented” distance, according to Helene Coron, a spokeswoman for Global Sumud France.

“This is piracy,” the flotilla organisers said in a statement. “This is the unlawful seizure of human beings on the open sea near Crete, an assertion that Israel can operate with total impunity, far beyond its own borders, with no consequences.”

International condemnation swiftly followed. Rome and Berlin said in a joint statement that they were following developments “with deep concern”, while Madrid blasted the seizure and said it had summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires in Spain.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez accused Israel of “once again violating international law by attacking a civilian flotilla in waters that do not belong to it”, urging the EU to freeze bilateral ties.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, called the interception a “total success”, and described participants as “Hamas supporters”.

The flotilla sailed from France, Spain and Italy carrying humanitarian aid and school supplies. Organisers said at least 22 of the 58 boats were stormed by Israeli forces, pointing lasers and assault weapons. Around 30 boats remain en route in Greek territorial waters.

Israel halted a previous flotilla assembled by the same organisation in October 2025, arresting over 450 participants, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2026