Israel and Turkey clash over Gaza aid flotilla interception
Turkey criticized Israel after Israeli naval forces intercepted a flotilla attempting to reach Gaza in violation of Israel’s naval blockade, calling the action a “new act of piracy.” According to the Global Sumud Flotilla website, Israel intercepted 36 of 54 vessels off Cyprus, about 250 miles from Gaza, with the sailings largely occurring without incident; activists were then transferred to an Israeli landing craft.Turkey’s foreign ministry saeid Israel’s actions would not prevent efforts by the international community to seek justice and show solidarity with Palestinians, and it called for the immediate release of the activists, who come from around 40 countries. The flotilla departed from turkey’s port of Marmaris and is part of a broader pattern of attempts by aid convoys to reach Gaza by sea as the blockade began after Hamas’s takeover.The article notes that this is the latest convoy,following earlier incidents including a September 2025 flotilla that was stopped before reaching Gaza and whose activists were deported after brief detention.
Turkey criticized Israel over its interception of a flotilla bound for Gaza in violation of its naval blockade, labeling it a “new act of piracy.”
Israeli naval forces intercepted 36 of the 54 vessels headed for Gaza off the coast of Cyprus as of Monday, roughly 250 miles from their intended destination, according to the Global Sumud Flotilla’s website. The interceptions happened largely without incident, and the activists were transferred to an Israeli landing craft. The ships took off from the Turkish port of Marmaris and appear to have been tacitly supported by the Turkish government.
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“Israel’s attacks and intimidation policies will in no way prevent the international community from seeking justice and solidarity with the Palestinian people,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“We invite the international community to take a common and determined stance against Israel’s lawless actions without delay,” it added.
The ministry called for the immediate release of the activists, who hail from roughly 40 different countries.
Turkey has become increasingly hostile toward Israel since Oct. 7, 2023, and positioned itself as a main international advocate of the Palestinian cause. The degradation of Iran and more ambiguous stance toward the Palestinian issue from the Gulf countries has helped elevate Turkey to one of the Palestinians’ main supporters on the international stage.
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The Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest of several naval aid convoys to travel to Gaza since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, continuing a pattern of attempts to reach the exclave by sea since Jerusalem imposed a naval blockade following Hamas’s takeover.
The most viral flotilla since the beginning of the war in Gaza was the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail in September 2025 and was joined by climate activist Greta Thunberg. The flotilla was intercepted before it could reach Gaza, and the activists were deported after a short time in detention.
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