One ship is said to have evaded the blockade after Israel intercepts an aid flotilla.

After its military halted the majority of the vessels, Israel claimed to have prevented a pro-Palestinian flotilla carrying supplies from reaching Gaza.

However, one boat, the Mikeno, was reported to have escaped the maritime blockade and to have stopped inside Palestinian territorial waters near Gaza’s coast before contact with the vessel was lost.

It was the first time an unapproved humanitarian expedition had come within 70 nautical miles of Gaza since Israel placed a naval embargo on its waterways in 2009.

“One last boat of the provocation remains in the distance,” the Israeli foreign ministry revealed.

“Its attempt to break the blockade and enter an active combat zone will also be prevented if it approaches,” it continued.

Israeli authorities seized ships from the Global Sumud flotilla late on Wednesday, around 75 miles off the shore of Gaza. The flotilla included more than 40 civilian vessels carrying roughly 500 lawmakers, attorneys, and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

On the Alma, the flotilla’s lead ship, Thunberg was seen seated on a deck encircled by soldiers in a video released by the Israeli foreign ministry.

“My name is Greta Thunberg,” Thunberg stated in a video message that was sent to Instagram just prior to the interception. The ship Alma is where I am. Israel is going to intercept us soon.

At the Israeli port of Ashdod, Thunberg and other activists were detained and arrested.

All of the activists on the flotilla would be deported, according to the Israeli foreign ministry.

The flotilla shared a number of videos on Telegram featuring messages from people on the several boats, some of whom were holding their passports, claiming that they had been kidnapped and brought against their will to Israel and restating that their objective was a humanitarian one that was non-violent.

When the interceptions started on Wednesday afternoon, the ships were in international seas north of Egypt and had already entered what has been called a “high risk zone.”

The flotilla had been advised not to cross the area, which is still in international seas, where the Israeli navy had previously prevented other boats from breaking its blockade.

According to social media activists, some 20 Israeli naval ships reached the flotilla at 7:25 p.m. and gave the order for the boats to shut down their engines. The flotilla’s live video showed people wearing life jackets and sitting in a semicircle while they awaited interception. Shortly later, the broadcast ended.

On Wednesday night, a post on the flotilla’s Instagram site stated, “Our vessels are being illegally intercepted.” “Military troops have boarded vessels, and cameras are offline. We are making every effort to verify the wellbeing and safety of every person on board.

Sky Italia aired footage of activists on deck being struck by strong water jets. In addition, passengers reported hearing loud booms close to a number of the boats, which they assumed were stun grenades dropped by drones.

At least two Italian MPs, French MEP Emma Fourreau, and nine Irish nationals, including Sinn Féin senator Chris Andrews, were among those detained.

The raid sparked unplanned demonstrations around Italy. The Spanish government urged Israel to safeguard the rights and safety of demonstrators, and protests were also documented in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Athens, and Brussels.

Yolanda Díaz, the deputy prime minister and labor minister of Spain, called the raid on the flotilla “a crime against international law” and called on Israel to quickly free those it had seized. “The EU needs to break off relations with Israel right now,” she continued in her Bluesky article.

Spain’s foreign ministry issued a statement late on Wednesday night, pointing out that the flotilla was a “a peaceful and humanitarian civil society initiative” and calling for the “physical integrity and rights” of the Spanish citizens on board the flotilla to be respected. The statement concluded: “Spain will continue to demand an end to the war in Gaza, the massive entry of humanitarian aid, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the implementation of the two-state solution:Palestineand Israel, living side by side in peace and security.”

The Foreign Office said Thursday that Israel’s seizure of an international aid flotilla headed for Gaza was “very concerning” and that the British government had communicated to Israel that the matter should be handled safely.

“We are very concerned about the situation with the Sumud flotilla, we are in touch with the families of a number of British nationals involved,” the British Foreign Office said in a statement. “Humanitarian organizations on the ground should receive the flotilla’s cargo so that it can be safely transported into Gaza.”

The Israeli “attack” on the flotilla, according to Turkey’s foreign ministry, was “an act of terror” that put the lives of defenseless citizens at jeopardy.

After Hamas took over the region in 2007, Israel stepped up its blockade of Gaza with the imposition of the naval blockade in 2009. The United Nations has repeatedly denounced it as “a direct violation of international Human Rights and humanitarian law.”

Yuval Shany, an expert on international law at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said that as long as Israel’s blockade of Gaza was “militarily justified” – meant to keep out weapons – and a ship intended to break the siege, Israel could intercept the vessel after prior warning.

Whether the blockade is militarily justified, and its legality, are points of contention.

The flotilla argues it is a civilian, unarmed group and that the passage of humanitarian aid is guaranteed in international law. Previous attempts by activists to break the naval blockade on Gaza were stopped by force by the Israeli military.

When the Mavi Marmara ship led an aid flotilla towards Gaza in 2010, Israeli commandos killed ten Turkish protestors.

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