Commenting on the interception and threats by Israeli forces against the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters between Italy and Greece, Farah Al Hattab, Campaigner at Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa, said:
“The interception and threats against the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces in international waters constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Blocking aid and targeting those who attempt to deliver it are likewise unlawful. We are extremely alarmed about the illegal interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces 600 nautical miles off the shore of Gaza, in international waters. We are also deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of crew members and people on board of the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels that have been arrested.”
Crew aboard the Greenpeace International vessel Arctic Sunrise report that vessels in the Global Sumud Flotilla were harassed by Israeli forces in international waters at a distance of 45 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Kythira and approximately 600 nautical miles from Gaza on the night of 30 April 2026.
A radio warning was received by the Global Sumud vessels at 18:43 UTC (21:43 local time) on the international distress channel (16), with the sender identifying themselves as the Israeli Navy and demanding that the flotilla change course. This was followed by jamming of communication channels, which put the flotilla at risk in open sea. Jamming included VHF maritime emergency SOS communication, VHF channels for flotilla coordination, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Iridium bands. At the time of writing, communication has been completely lost with several flotilla vessels.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is an international initiative aimed at ending Israel’s illegal blockade on Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Greenpeace is calling on all governments to act with urgency to uphold international law and ensure the protection of the Global Sumud Flotilla through concrete measures to ensure its safe passage to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Al- Hattab added: “We have always stood, and continue to stand, in solidarity with the people of Gaza, against whom the Israeli government continues to impose a total land and sea blockade. Peaceful humanitarian initiatives must be respected and protected at all times and under all circumstances”.
“We renew our call on world leaders to take immediate and concrete action in response to the genocide being committed by Israel against the people of Gaza, an escalation reflected in what is happening to the Global Sumud Fleet today. The continued failure of the international community to enforce international law makes it complicit in responsibility for Israel’s actions,” she concluded.
ENDS
About the Mission:
At a time when global attention continues to shift, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical, and ensuring consistent, safe, and unrestricted access to aid is more urgent than ever. Across the Greenpeace network, offices including Greenpeace MENA, Greenpeace International, Greenpeace Italy, Greenpeace Spain, and other national and regional organisations are supporting this effort. This participation comes in response to a request from the Global Sumud Flotilla organisers, contributing to Arctic Sunrise’s maritime technical expertise.
Interview Opportunities :
For interviews and for more information, please contact Hiam Mardini at [email protected] or +96171553232
