Twenty unidentified military vessels surrounded the humanitarian ship Global Sumud, carrying activist Greta Thunberg as it sailed toward the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
“They are already coming for us. Dozens of ships are waiting,” said José Luis Ibote in a video posted on social media. Two other passengers, including Spanish MP Juan Bordera of the Compromís party, confirmed the presence of the unidentified vessels approaching the ship.
Mission organizers announced a state of emergency aboard the participating ships. Israel has repeatedly warned activists not to approach Gaza’s maritime borders.
On Tuesday evening, activists reported that Israeli warships were aggressively approaching two humanitarian vessels.
“The warships disabled communications, aggressively surrounded the civilian vessels, and forced the captains to make sharp maneuvers to avoid collision,” the statement read. “These hostile actions put unarmed civilians from over 40 countries at serious risk,” it added.
Lisi Proença, aboard the Sirius, told a press conference that the warships approached them during the night. “They didn’t hit the ship, but they came very close and started circling,” she said, adding that communications had been blocked. The Israeli vessels withdrew after approximately 15 minutes.
Brazilian activist Thiago Avila said at a press conference that there is evidence of a cyberattack targeting the ships. There was no structural damage, and no participants were injured, he noted.
The foreign ministers of Greece and Italy are closely monitoring developments with the Global Sumud flotilla and are urging Israel to ensure the safety of the participants and allow the delivery of aid.
In a joint statement, they called on the ship’s crew to accept the proposal of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem for the safe delivery of aid as an expression of solidarity with Gaza’s residents.
The statement also thanked the diplomatic initiative of President Donald Trump, describing it as a tangible opportunity to end the conflict and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population, including ensuring full access for humanitarian aid.
The statement concluded by emphasizing the need for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza and the swift achievement of a ceasefire. “At this delicate moment, all parties must refrain from actions that could obstruct peace,” the declaration said.
