Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and a number of other passengers aboard vessels of the Gaza aid campaign Global Sumud Flotilla were detained at the port of Ashdod. The six vessels captured by the Israeli forces in the process were – Sirus, Alma, Spectra, Adar, Deir Yassin and Hoga. Thunberg was aboard the Alma, according to the Guardian.

A 24/7 livestream of Global Sumud Flotilla is available on its official website and YouTube channel. However, communications with numerous vessels, including Hio, Grand Blue, Yulara, Huga, Spectre, Aurora and more, were cut off, as per the updates shared on the GSF Instagram page.

Bella Caledonia, an “online magazine combining political and cultural commentary,” cited Flotilla participant David Adler, saying that the international community contributing to the mission consisted a total of 497 participants from 46 countries. The raid followed hours after Italy, Spain and Turkey left those onboard the vessels exposed by withdrawing military escorts.

Israeli forces say Greta Thunberg and friends are safe

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has since issued a statement and released a brief video of the arrest on social media platform X. Contrary to the GSF’s take on the Israeli mission to intercept them being labelled as an “attack,” the Israel Foreign Ministry stated that several flotilla vessels had been “safely stopped.” Its statement further claimed that passengers on the were being transferred to an Israeli port.

“Greta and her friends are safe and healthy,” wrote @IsraelMFA on X. In a previous post, the ministry said the sole purpose of the “Hamas-Sumud flotilla” was “provocation.” Another clip released by the official shows an Israeli Navy official reaching out the GSF and asking them to change course.

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“You are approaching a blockaded zone,” the official is heard speaking on the phone in the video. “If you wish to deliver aid to Gaza, you may do so through the established channels,” she said, asking them to change course to a port where the aid would carefully inspected and then be transferred to the Gaza strip.

Global Sumud Flotilla countered Israel’s demand to change course during Gaza journey

The Associated Press further shared how Thiago Avila from the Global Sumud Flotilla’s steering committee responded to the call. “… moving peacefully, in a non-violent humanitarian mission to take this aid. You are not allowed by international laws to stop us, therefore we do not comply with your request,” he said.

Last month, United Nations experts urged Israel to cease all threats against the GSF and allow it to proceed unhindered in its mission to deliver aid. “Any attempt to block the flotilla would constitute a grave violation of international law and humanitarian principle,” they said in a statement released on the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner’s official website.

Taking to the official Freedom Flotilla Coalition profile on X, members of the humanitarian mission had previously alerted their followers of Israel’s “attack” on them in international waters.

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“People of conscience have been abducted. The flotilla broke no laws. What is illegal is Israel’s genocide, Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, and the Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon,” they tweeted the emergency statement.

Update: As per ship tracking data, a total of 15 boats affiliated with the Flotilla cause were intercepted as of 3.48am GMT Thursday. Organisers, however, stood their ground and released a defiant statement, saying they will “continue undeterred.” The aid mission also shared via Telegram that 30 boats were on their way to Gaza and they were 46 nautical miles away from their destination.

Releasing a new video, activists further shared that about 20 Israeli naval ships approached flotilla, ordering them to turn off their engines, as per the Guardian.

According to a separate post shared on the official GSF page on Instagram, 30 boats were still sailing to Gaza despite numerous others having been intercepted.

More details will be added.