Middle East: Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

Israel intercepted a total of 13 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla, with another 30 boats still sailing toward Gaza, flotilla organizers wrote on Telegram in their latest update. 

They said the vessels were 46 nautical miles from Gaza.

In previous posts, they said that livestreams and communications were cut on the intercepted boats and that the "status of participants and crew remains unconfirmed."

Israel's Foreign Ministry hasn't posted an update on the passengers of the boats it stopped since it said that "Greta and her friends are safe and healthy" some six hours ago.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro says he will expel all remaining Israeli diplomats in the country over Israel's interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. 

Writing on X, Petro announced the expulsion of "the entire diplomatic delegation of Israel" over what he called "a new international crime" by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He also terminated a free-trade deal in place with Israel since 2020.

The president said two Colombian citizens who were aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla have been detained by Israeli forces.

Colombia severed relations with Israel last year but several diplomats still remained posted in the country.

Petro, a former rebel fighter, is one of the most outspoken world leaders condemning Israel's actions in Gaza.

The United States revoked Petro's visa last week over what it called his "incendiary actions."

Protests sprung up in a number of Italian cities late on Wednesday evening after reports that vessels from the Gaza aid flotilla were intercepted by Israel. 

From the capital Rome to major cities such as Milan, Naples and Torino, thousands of protesters have started gathering in city centers calling out "Free Palestine," singing the Italian protest song "Bella Ciao" and waving Palestinian flags.

In Genoa, Italy's largest cargo port, the USB (Unione Sindacale di Base) union said that it intended to block the port and called on protesters to gather at one of the main entrances. 

Over the past two weeks, protesting Italian dockworkers have prevented various ships from docking and loading, targeting vessels they say were involved in trade with Israel.

The Italian Confederation of Labor Union (CGIL), Italy's biggest union with more than 5 million members, called for a general strike on Friday.

"The aggression against civilian ships that were carrying Italian citizens is an extremely serious matter," the CGIL union said. Other unions such as the USB have supported the strike call.

Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Israel of "an act of terrorism" after the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was bound for Gaza, was intercepted.

"The attack carried out by Israeli forces in international waters against the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, constitutes an act of terrorism that gravely violates international law," the ministry said in a statement. 

Earlier, Israel's Foreign Ministry said that the purpose of the flotilla was provocation.

"Israel, Italy, Greece, and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem have all offered and continue to offer the flotilla a way to peacefully deliver any aid they might have to Gaza," Israel's Foreign Ministry said in a post on social media platform X.

It went on to say that the flotilla had refused these offers because "they are not interested in aid, but in provocation."

Israel said the flotilla had been asked to change course and that it was approaching an active war zone and "violating a lawful naval blockade."

Israel's Foreign Ministry said that a number of vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla had been stopped.

"Already several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and healthy," the ministry said.

The ministry posted video footage of what appeared to be Greta Thunberg seated on the ground, surrounded by security personnel who looked to be carrying out checks under torchlight.

The statement from the ministry came shortly after activists reported that vessels from the flotilla had been intercepted.

Activists aboard the Gaza aid flotilla accused Israeli forces of "illegally intercepting" their vessels and coming aboard as the flotilla approached the Israeli blockade. 

The Global Sumud Flotilla was sailing toward Gaza with more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 people. Among them are parliamentarians from various countries, lawyers and activists, including the Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The announcement came through the flotilla's X account, with organizers saying they were "working to confirm the safety and status of all participants on board."

Many of the live feeds from the convoy's ships continued to work with the people seen on board sitting calmly. 

Israel's government has warned the Gaza aid flotilla to change course as the activist boats approached waters under Israeli blockade.

"The Israeli Navy has reached out to the ... flotilla and asked them to change course," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Israel has informed the flotilla that it is approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade."

The occupants of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla said the Israeli navy had begun intercepting their vessels, writing on social media accounts that they had been ordered to shut down their engines.

The Global Sumud Flotilla was sailing toward Gaza with more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 people. Among them are parliamentarians from various countries, lawyers and activists, including the Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

Despite repeated warnings from Israel not to approach Gaza's coast, the caravan of boats had pressed on, although the people aboard expected to be halted by Israel's navy.

The UN Human Rights Office reports that it has verified the deaths of 103 civilians in Lebanon since an agreed ceasefire.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for renewed efforts to bring about a permanent end to fighting.

According to the United Nations, Israel has committed "thousands of violations of the agreement" since a ceasefire on November 27, 2024.

Israel has regularly launched strikes on what it says are Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, despite the US-brokered truce.

“We are still seeing devastating impacts of jet and drone strikes in residential areas, as well as near UN peacekeepers in the south,” Türk said.

The rights office reported that more than 80,000 people remained displaced in Lebanon because of the violence.

"I urge all parties to double down on transitioning to a permanent cessation as laid out by the UN Security Council,” Türk said.

Prosecutors in Berlin said they have arrested three suspected Hamas operatives. The suspects were preparing attacks on Israeli and Jewish institutions in Germany, authorities said.

The three men, two Germans and one Lebanese national, were identified by authorities as  Abed Al G., Wael F. M., and Ahmad I. Their last names were not disclosed, in line with German privacy rules.

The men are suspected of being involved in gathering firearms and ammunition to be used for acts of violence.

"The weapons were to be used by Hamas for assassinations targeting Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany," according to the Office of the Federal Public Prosecutor General.

Security forces found various weapons during the arrest, "including an AK-47 assault rifle, several pistols and a considerable amount of ammunition."

A pro-Palestinian Gaza aid flotilla consisting of more than 40 private boats has been approached by an Israeli warship shortly before reaching its destination, activists said on Wednesday, with organizers saying preparations were being made "for an imminent attack" by Israeli naval vessels.

An activist on board posted a video on X that appears to show an armed patrol boat drawing close to one of the vessels in the flotilla.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is among the people in the flotilla, which contains symbolic aid provisions as a protest against Israel's military actions in Gaza.

The boats departed from Barcelona at the end of August and is expected to arrive in Gaza in a few days.

 All previous attempts by such flotillas to reach Gaza and dock there since 2010 have been thwarted by Israeli forces.

The humanitarian organization Red Cross said on Wednesday that intensified military operations by Israeli forces in Gaza City had forced it to suspend its activities there.

"The intensification of military operations in Gaza City has forced the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to temporarily suspend operations at its Gaza City office and relocate staff to ICRC offices in southern Gaza to ensure staff safety and operational continuity," it said in a statement.

The statement said, however, that "tens of thousands ... face harrowing humanitarian conditions" in the city.

The Red Cross announcement came days after medical charity Doctors Without Borders said it had been forced to suspend its work in Gaza City because of Israel's offensive.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has warned residents of Gaza City to flee south or miss their last chance to do so, saying the military is tightening its encirclement of the city.

"This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas operatives isolated in Gaza City," Katz posted on X, adding that anyone who remained would "be considered terrorists and terrorist supporters."

He said the Israeli army had seized the Netzarim corridor in the central Gaza Strip, which he said cut off the north of the territory from the south.

Katz said people leaving Gaza City for the south would have to pass through Israeli military checkpoints.

The warning comes as witnesses reported heavy bombardment in the city, the largest urban center in the Palestinian territory.    

DW reports on events in the Middle East as Israel's offensive in Gaza — launched following the deadly Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023 — continues unabated even as Hamas scrutinizes a 20-point peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump.

The world, and our newsroom, is watching closely as a privately organized aid flotilla heads for Gaza, with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on board one of the vessels.

The fighting has caused the Red Cross to suspend its activities in Gaza City, where Israel has intensified its operations in recent weeks.

Read here for headlines and analysis from and about Israel, Gaza and the wider Middle East region.