Arrested Gaza flotilla activists launch hunger strike
Shafaq News – Gaza (Updated at 12:30)
Several detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a civilian-led aid convoy to Gaza, have begun an open-ended hunger strike following their arrest by Israeli forces, the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG) announced Friday.
More than 470 activists were detained at Ashdod port after Israel intercepted the convoy, which included nearly 40 boats carrying humanitarian aid and hundreds of international participants, among them Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Israeli police described the operation on X as a coordinated effort with the military and other agencies to block what they called “a provocative flotilla supporting Hamas,” pledging to stop any remaining vessels.
توقيف أكثر من 470 مشاركًا في أسطول الاستفزاز الداعم #لحماس الإرهابية خلال عملية في ميناء #أشدود، المفوض العام داني ليفي زار الميدان واطّلع على سير العملية.تفاصيل إضافية: https://t.co/Phd0T4x0Mm pic.twitter.com/bGJ17LDfTk
— شرطة اسرائيل- israel police (@Israelpolice_Ar) October 3, 2025
According to GSF organizers, the Marinette, the last remaining boat in the flotilla, was intercepted about 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza.
Marinette, the last remaining boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla, was intercepted at 10:29am local time, approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza.Over 38 hours, Israeli occupation naval forces illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels—each carrying … https://t.co/SYT9QyY03H
— Global Sumud Flotilla (@gbsumudflotilla) October 3, 2025
Meanwhile, activists confirmed that another flotilla is en route to challenge the Israeli blockade. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition reported that the Conscience vessel departed Italy on Wednesday with about 100 activists aboard, many of them healthcare workers and journalists, joining eight other boats that set sail earlier. The nine ships are currently off Crete, according to live tracking data.
