Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the country’s navy on Thursday after Israeli forces intercepted an aid flotilla heading toward Gaza, saying the operation successfully prevented what he described as a Hamas-supporting mission from reaching Israeli waters or the Gaza coast. The interception, which took place in international waters near Greece, involved multiple vessels organized by activist groups seeking to challenge Israel’s long-standing naval blockade of the territory.
In a post on X published at 11:32 a.m. on April 30, 2026, Netanyahu wrote, “Well done to our Navy! I instructed them to prevent a Hamas-supporting flotilla from reaching the shores of Gaza. The mission was executed with complete success. No ship and no Hamas supporter reached our territory, and not even our territorial waters. They were turned back and will return to their countries of origin. They will continue to see Gaza on YouTube.”
According to reporting from the New York Times, the flotilla—organized by the activist network Global Sumud Flotilla—consisted of more than 80 vessels that had sailed from Barcelona toward Gaza carrying humanitarian supplies. Activists said Israeli naval forces boarded multiple boats in international waters and disabled parts of their navigation systems and engines. The group also accused Israeli forces of jamming communications, leaving vessels stranded at sea.
The Israeli government did not immediately respond to the activists’ specific claims of damage and interference but has previously characterized similar missions as provocations rather than legitimate humanitarian efforts. The Israeli foreign ministry said on social media that the flotilla was “a PR stunt” and alleged that some vessels carried limited or non-aid items. It also said about 175 activists from more than 20 boats were detained at sea and transported to Israel, with later statements indicating they would be transferred to Greece.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since 2009 and is maintained on security grounds related to weapons smuggling concerns. The flotilla effort followed renewed restrictions and fluctuating aid access during the ongoing conflict involving Israel and Hamas, which escalated after the October 2023 attack and subsequent war in the Gaza Strip.