LONDON: The last remaining flotilla vessel, the Marinette, has been intercepted by Israeli forces on Friday, sparking fresh protests across Europe and Muslim countries.
Demonstrations condemned what critics described as an “act of terror.”
Almost 500 activists, including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, had been sailing in about 44 boats carrying aid across the Mediterranean for over a month. Their goal was to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, where hunger continues to worsen.
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that none of the flotilla’s vessels reached Gaza. The Marinette, previously shown on the Global Sumud Flotilla tracker as still sailing, has now been marked “intercepted,” according to The Independent.
A livestream image earlier showed Israeli navy forces approaching the Marinette, which organisers later confirmed had been stopped.
Flotilla organisers issue statement after final vessel intercepted
“Marinette, the last remaining boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla, was intercepted at 10:29am local time, approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza,” it wrote in a post on its Telegram channel.
The interception has triggered criticism from governments including Colombia, Malaysia, Brazil, and Italy. Turkey’s foreign ministry denounced it as “an act of terror.” Amnesty International also described the move as “an attack on international law and basic humanity.”
Another vessel reached Cyprus on Friday, though officials did not confirm whether it was part of the flotilla.
PROTESTS ERUPT IN EUROPE
Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Dublin, Paris, Berlin, and Geneva to denounce Israel’s actions. Similar protests took place in Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Karachi.
In Istanbul, crowds gathered outside the Israeli embassy carrying placards reading, “Israel is massacring humanity, not Gaza” and urging people to “stand up.”
In Barcelona, protesters vandalised stores and restaurants, targeting Starbucks, Burger King, and Carrefour with graffiti accusing them of complicity in Israel’s offensive.
Italy saw some of the strongest reactions. Students occupied campuses at Milan’s Statale and Rome’s La Sapienza, while access to Bologna University was blocked with car tyres. In Turin, hundreds disrupted traffic on the city’s ring road, according to Reuters.
Health workers in Rome planned a flash mob to honour 1,677 medical staff killed in Gaza, shining lights and reading out their names. Italian unions also called for a general strike, with more than 100 rallies expected nationwide.
Israel has come under mounting criticism after armed forces boarded nearly 40 aid ships, detaining more than 400 activists, including Greta Thunberg.
The conflict in Gaza has so far killed more than 66,000 people, according to Palestinian officials. Israel launched its offensive after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures.
