[News] Israel raid of Gaza-bound flotilla near Cyprus sparks outrage

[Anti-Imperialist News]

middleeasteye.net
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-raid-gaza-bound-flotilla-near-cyprus-sparks-outrage>
Israel raid of Gaza-bound flotilla near Cyprus sparks outrage
Mera Aladam
May 18, 2026
------------------------------

The seizure of the Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest in a string of raids
that occurred in international waters
[image: People hold a pro-Palestine protest in Ankara, Turkey, ahead of the
Global Sumud Flotilla's latest mission to break the Israeli siege on Gaza,
17 May, 2026 (Efekan Akyuz/Reuters)]

People hold a pro-Palestine protest in Ankara, Turkey, ahead of the Global
Sumud Flotilla's latest mission to break the Israeli siege on Gaza, 17 May
2026 (Efekan Akyuz/Reuters)

Published date: 18 May 2026 13:51 BST | Last update: 2 hours 27 mins ago

The Gaza <https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/israel-war-gaza>-bound Global
Sumud
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/gaza-flotilla-what-you-need-know-about-sumud>
Flotilla reported Israeli <https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel>
naval forces raiding several of its vessels near Cyprus, in the latest
attack on the aid mission in international waters.

In a statement sent to Middle East Eye, the mission said it was "currently
surrounded and under active interception by Israeli naval warships in
international waters," approximately 250 nautical miles from the Gaza
Strip's coast.

It added that the "military encirclement marks the commencement of another
illegal, high-seas aggression".

The organisers said in their most recent update on Monday afternoon that 16
ships were raided by "a superior number of armed soldiers" against unarmed
civilian crew.

They also hit back at Israeli reports that the flotilla was divided between
"European boats" and "Turkish boats", and that the Israeli military planned
to segment the vessels by nationality.

"The Global Sumud Flotilla is calling out this depraved, racist playbook
and calling on global leaders to condemn this racism urgently and take
action," the group said.

"The flotilla has no Turkish-flagged vessels. The Israeli military is
fabricating an outright lie to isolate specific vessels and invoke past
incidents - specifically the 2010 lethal assault on the Mavi Marmara, with
which GSF has no affiliation."

Footage released showed Israeli forces circling and seizing a number of
boats, reportedly off the coast of Cyprus.

Footage shows Israeli forces intercepting a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in
international waters on Monday, arresting 100 activists on board.

Israeli media reported that the boats were intercepted off the coast of
Cyprus and that they will transfer the activists to the Ashdod port.
pic.twitter.com/xbQLyXPzvI <https://t.co/xbQLyXPzvI>
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) May 18, 2026
<https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye/status/2056320049686700231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>

The organisers said that Israel "continues to demonstrate a systematic
disregard for international maritime law, freedom of navigation on the high
seas, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)".

The Global Sumud Flotilla also posted on X that Israeli soldiers were
"boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight".

The seizure of ships comes four days after 54 vessels originally set off
from Marmaris, Turkey, in an attempt at breaking Israel's blockade on Gaza.

Israeli media earlier reported that the military was preparing to intercept
the flotilla, which was expected to reach Gaza’s waters within two days.

According to Israel Hayom, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held
security consultations on Sunday ahead of the flotilla’s arrival.

Yedioth Ahronoth quoted an Israeli source as saying forces would “control
them” and transfer activists to a “floating prison”.

The attack has sparked international outrage, with the Turkish foreign
ministry condemning the Israeli intervention.

"Israel's attacks and intimidation policies will in no way prevent the
international community's pursuit of justice and solidarity with the
Palestinian people," the ministry said in a statement, demanding that
Israel immediatly halt the raid.

<https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/gaza-sumud-flotilla-tide-defiance-against-israel-unbreakable-wave>

Gaza flotilla: The tide of defiance against Israel is now an unbreakable
wave

Read More »
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/gaza-sumud-flotilla-tide-defiance-against-israel-unbreakable-wave>

In late April, Israeli naval forces raided the Gaza-bound vessels off the
Greek coast, hundreds of nautical miles from the besieged enclave.

Nearly 200 activists were detained at the time, with some vessels left
“systematically disabled” after being raided, leaving activists stranded at
sea.

Shortly before the raid, activists said they were approached by military
speedboats identifying themselves as Israeli. Soldiers reportedly pointed
lasers and semi-automatic weapons at those on board, ordering them to get
on their hands and knees. They added that boat communications were being
jammed.

Israel launched a devastating onslaught in Gaza in 2023, blocking food,
water, aid and electricity from reaching the enclave, while carrying out
sustained air strikes for more than two years.

The bombardment has killed at least 72,769 Palestinians
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine>, with thousands more
missing and presumed dead under the rubble.

The blockade has led to famine being declared in parts of Gaza, while most
hospitals, homes and schools have been destroyed. Israeli air strikes since
a ceasefire in October have killed more than 800 Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has also continued to impose aid restrictions on Gaza in violation
of the agreement, leaving the humanitarian crisis unresolved.
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