<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail-top-anchor"></div>
<div id="gmail-toolbar" class="gmail-toolbar-container">
<span name="selected"></span>
</div>
<div class="gmail-container" lang="en" dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail-header gmail-reader-header gmail-reader-show-element">
<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-raid-gaza-bound-flotilla-near-cyprus-sparks-outrage">middleeasteye.net</a>
<div class="gmail-domain-border"></div>
<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Israel raid of Gaza-bound flotilla near Cyprus sparks outrage</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Mera Aladam</div>
<div class="gmail-meta-data">
<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">May 18, 2026</div>
</div>
</div>
<hr>
<div class="gmail-content">
<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page">
<a aria-label="Main content" id="gmail-main-content" class="gmail-visually-hidden" tabindex="-1"></a>
<p>The seizure of the Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest in a string of raids that occurred in international waters </p>
<div> <span>
<img width="524" height="295" src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/max_2600x2600/public/images-story/pro-palestine-protest-ankara-turkey-17-may-2026-reuters.jpg.jpg?itok=G5QfkkGZ" alt="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)" style="margin-right: 0px;">
</span>
</div>
<p>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)</p>
<p><span>Published date:</span> 18 May 2026 13:51 BST
<span>| </span>
<span>Last update:</span> <span id="gmail-date-updatedago">2 hours 27 mins </span> ago </p>
<div>
<div><p>The <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/israel-war-gaza" target="_blank">Gaza</a>-bound Global <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/gaza-flotilla-what-you-need-know-about-sumud" target="_blank">Sumud</a> Flotilla reported <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israeli</a> naval forces raiding several of its vessels near Cyprus, in the latest attack on the aid mission in international waters.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>It added that the "military encirclement marks the commencement of another illegal, high-seas aggression".</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p><p>"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. </p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>Footage released showed Israeli forces circling and seizing a number of boats, reportedly off the coast of Cyprus.</p>
<blockquote>
<div dir="ltr" lang="en"><p>Footage shows Israeli forces intercepting a
Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters on Monday, arresting 100
activists on board.</p><p>
Israeli media reported that the boats were intercepted off the coast of
Cyprus and that they will transfer the activists to the Ashdod port. <a href="https://t.co/xbQLyXPzvI" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/xbQLyXPzvI</a></p></div>
\u2014 Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye/status/2056320049686700231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<p>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)".</p>
<p>The Global Sumud Flotilla also posted on X that Israeli soldiers were "boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight".</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>Israeli media earlier reported that the military was preparing to
intercept the flotilla, which was expected to reach Gaza\u2019s waters within
two days.</p>
<p>According to Israel Hayom, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
held security consultations on Sunday ahead of the flotilla\u2019s arrival.</p>
<p>Yedioth Ahronoth quoted an Israeli source as saying forces would \u201ccontrol them\u201d and transfer activists to a \u201cfloating prison\u201d.</p>
<p>The attack has sparked international outrage, with the Turkish foreign ministry condemning the Israeli intervention.</p>
<p>"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. </p>
<div>
<p><a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/gaza-sumud-flotilla-tide-defiance-against-israel-unbreakable-wave" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/read_more/public/images-story/Greta%20Thunberg%20and%20a%20crew%20member%20flash%20victory%20signs%20from%20their%20ship%2C%20part%20of%20the%20Global%20Sumud%20Flotilla%20aiming%20to%20reach%20Gaza%20in%20Crete%20island%2C%20Greece%20on%2025%20September%2C%202025%20%28Reuters%29.jpg.webp?itok=mu9vZrBB" width="400" height="250" alt="" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img">
</a></p><p>Gaza flotilla: The tide of defiance against Israel is now an unbreakable wave</p>
<p><a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/gaza-sumud-flotilla-tide-defiance-against-israel-unbreakable-wave" target="_blank">Read More »</a>
</p></div>
<p>In late April, Israeli naval forces raided the Gaza-bound vessels off
the Greek coast, hundreds of nautical miles from the besieged enclave.</p>
<p>Nearly 200 activists were detained at the time, with some vessels
left \u201csystematically disabled\u201d after being raided, leaving activists
stranded at sea.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>The bombardment has killed at least 72,769 <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine" target="_blank">Palestinians</a>, with thousands more missing and presumed dead under the rubble.</p>
<p>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.</p><p>Israel has also continued to impose aid restrictions on Gaza in
violation of the agreement, leaving the humanitarian crisis unresolved.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>