A humanitarian flotilla sailing towards the Gaza Strip, carrying activists from more than 40 countries, including Polish MP Franciszek Sterczewski, has been intercepted by the Israeli navy. The mission, named Sumud, reported that over 20 Israeli vessels had surrounded its boats as they approached within 80 nautical miles (around 148 km) of Gaza.

Senate Deputy Speaker Magdalena Biejat confirmed later that the flotilla had been halted. 

“The humanitarian mission heading to Gaza has been stopped by Israel. Among those on board are Polish citizens Franciszek Sterczewski and Omar Faris. We are in direct contact with the flotilla and demand immediate action from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” she wrote on social media.

Footage shared online by Global Movement to Gaza, Poland, appeared to show Israeli troops boarding civilian vessels Alma and Sirius, which organisers said were “illegally intercepted in international waters during a lawful, peaceful humanitarian mission.” Some of the dozens of boats making up the flotilla reportedly lost contact overnight.

Israel had previously declared it would not allow the convoy to reach Gaza, while activists insisted they aimed to deliver humanitarian aid. Among the Polish participants, in addition to Sterczewski and Faris, were Nina Ptak of the Nomada Association and journalist-activist Ewa Jasiewicz, author of Podpalić Gazę (Setting Gaza Ablaze).

The Israeli military has intercepted 40 vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in international waters as they attempted to reach the Gaza Strip. Activists detained overnight from Wednesday to Thursday – including Polish citizens – are to be taken to Israel and deported. In response to the Israeli action, protests have broken out in several European cities.

According to the GSF website, of the 44 vessels that joined the mission, 40 have been seized or are believed to have been seized, while four remain en route. The yacht Mikeno reportedly managed to enter Gaza’s territorial waters and is currently just a few kilometres from the shore, live tracking on the GSF site shows.

Israel’s foreign ministry stated overnight that several of the flotilla’s boats had been “safely detained”. Passengers remain on board their vessels, which are being escorted to an Israeli port, where deportation proceedings to Europe will begin, the ministry added.

Source: PAP

Photo: X GMTG_Poland

Tomasz Modrzejewski