None of the 40 vessels in the Global Sumud Flotilla, intercepted by Israel on Yom Kippur, contained any humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said.
The ministry released footage showing the empty interior of one of the flotilla’s largest ships, narrated by Israeli Police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne. “It was never about bringing aid to Gaza,” Elsdunne said in the video. “It was about the headlines and social media followings.” He noted that the absence of supplies explained why flotilla organizers had rejected offers from Israel and other countries to transfer aid through legal channels rather than attempt to breach the naval blockade.
The controversy comes as additional flotillas head toward the Gaza Strip in defiance of Israeli warnings. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition confirmed that a ship named Conscience departed Italy on Wednesday carrying roughly 100 people — described by the group as a mix of activists, healthcare workers, and journalists.
Meanwhile, another eight boats that left Italy nearly a week ago are currently sailing near Crete, according to online tracking platforms.
Social media accounts tied to the Sumud Flotilla also claimed that a second convoy of 45 vessels had departed from the Turkish port of Arsuz, releasing video purportedly showing the departure. Israeli officials have not yet confirmed whether those boats are bound for Gaza.
The flotillas come amid intensifying pressure on Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where international aid groups have warned of shortages of food, medicine, and basic supplies. Israel, however, has repeatedly described the maritime convoys as security threats and propaganda stunts rather than relief missions.
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2 Responses
They should let the boats through then, and let Hamas and the Palestinians lay their hands on them, especially if they find out there is no food
Unfortunately Israel is partially to blame for all the negative reporting about what’s happening in Gaza because they don’t let any foreign journalists into Gaza to see 1st hand what is actually happening there. They claim it’s because they’re afraid of foreign journalists being killed in the crossfire however that maybe the truth but it’s a bad answer because the norm is to allow foreign journalists into locations where war is taking place particularly because the reporters are going in willingly understanding the risk they’re taking. This being the case the reasonable assumption is that the real reason Israel isn’t allowing foreign journalists in is to prevent them from seeing the atrocities that Israel is committing. I’m not saying that Israel is g-d forbid actually committing atrocities but rather that it’s certainly a valid assumption on their part based on not being allowed in. I think it’s clearly a case of a lack of secharo keneged hefseido on Israel’s part in continuing to refuse to allow foreign journalists entry into Gaza. Obviously those who hate us will hate us no matter what but there’s a full continent of people in the middle who originally defended Israel’s right to defend itself after October 7th but at this point have reached the conclusion that Israel has gone way too far in no small part as a result of not being able to see for themselves what’s really going on in Gaza.