ISTANBUL, May 18 — The Global Sumud Flotilla announced late last night that it had detected “unidentified vessels” near its boats as it headed towards the Gaza Strip to break an Israeli blockade on the Palestinian enclave.
Anadolu Ajansi reported that the humanitarian aid flotilla said on X that “naval vessels and speedboats were spotted in front of, behind, and to one side of the fleet”.
In a separate statement shared by the flotilla’s crisis desk, organisers said there was “movement of unidentified drones and military elements” around the convoy.
The development came after the flotilla announced its arrival in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Global Sumud Flotilla 2026 Spring Mission, aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip and delivering vital humanitarian aid, was intercepted by the Israeli military off the coast of Crete between April 29 and April 30.
The aid flotilla was attacked on April 30 near Crete, about 600 nautical miles from its destination.
The flotilla’s first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, departed Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel’s years-long blockade.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation.
The Israeli military launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.
