Boats carrying activists and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza reposition in the port during a symbolic send-off as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu Parra)
Outrage erupted on April 30, as organizers of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla said Israel's army "kidnapped" 211 activists, including 20 Turkish citizens and a Paris city councilor, in a raid in international waters off Greece.
Helene Coron, a spokeswoman for the Global Sumud France, told an online news conference that the operation had taken place near the island of Crete, at an "unprecedented" distance from Israel.
A total of 58 boats with 345 participants from 39 countries had set sail for Gaza. Of the 31 Turkish citizens in the flotilla, 20 were detained by the Israeli side on April 30.
Coron said those intercepted included Paris Communist municipal councilor Raphaelle Primet and another 10 French nationals.
The organizers of the latest flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists seeking to break Israel's blockade on Gaza had announced early on April 30 that their boats were surrounded by Israeli military ships while off the coast of the Greek island of Crete.
"At the time of publishing this statement (06:30 Paris time, 04:30 GMT), at least 22 of the flotilla's 58 boats have been stormed by Israeli forces in complete violation of international law," the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement.
Israel's Foreign Ministry derisively called the initiative a "condom flotilla" after prophylactics were found in a previous convoy, adding that 20 of the ships were "now making their way peacefully to Israel."
Scola said her ship was carrying school supplies and food.
The remaining boats in the flotilla are currently near Crete, according to the organization’s live tracking on its website.
The flotilla set sail in recent weeks from Marseille in France, Barcelona in Spain and Syracuse in Italy.
Overnight from April 29 to 30, the flotilla said its boats had been "illegally surrounded" by Israeli vessels.
'Lasers and assault weapons'
"Our boats were approached by military speedboats, self-identified as 'Israel', pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees," the organization had said.
"Boat communications are being jammed and a SOS was issued."
A Greek coastguard source told AFP it had responded to a distress signal from the flotilla, but once its patrol boat reached the area it was told that no assistance was required.
Activists in Greece said they planned a protest rally on April 30 afternoon outside the Greek Foreign Ministry in Athens, saying Israel's interception of the boats occurred within the maritime zone that falls under Greece's responsibility for search and rescue operations and that the country's coast guard had not reacted.
In the summer and autumn of 2025, a first voyage by the Global Sumud Flotilla across the Mediterranean towards Gaza drew worldwide attention.
Crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were arrested and then expelled by Israel.
