Israeli naval forces have intercepted the last remaining vessel of a multinational protest flotilla attempting to reach the Gaza Strip, concluding a days-long maritime operation. The Polish-flagged sailing boat Marinette was stopped in the early hours of Friday morning approximately 42 nautical miles from the Gaza coastline.
The vessel, carrying six international activists including citizens from Turkey, Germany, and Oman, represented the final ship from a 42-vessel convoy that had been attempting to challenge Israel’s longstanding naval blockade of the coastal territory. Organizers estimated nearly 500 participants joined the mission, including numerous European parliamentarians and prominent activists.
According to Israeli authorities, interception procedures were conducted without reported injuries, with detained participants now facing deportation processes. The foreign ministry confirmed that individuals in custody would be processed for removal from the country.
The Marinette had reportedly joined the flotilla later than other vessels after weather complications forced it to return to Barcelona. This delay may have contributed to the vessel’s ability to approach closer to Gaza than previous unauthorized attempts since Israel implemented its naval blockade in 2009.
Historical context shows previous confrontations between activist vessels and Israeli forces have turned deadly, notably in 2010 when ten Turkish activists were killed during a raid on the Mavi Marmara aid ship.
Organizers reported losing contact with another vessel, the Mikeno, hours before its apparent interception. The status of that crew remains unconfirmed as communications were disrupted during the Israeli military operation.
This latest maritime protest marks another chapter in the ongoing international efforts to challenge Israel’s restrictions on Gaza, which have been in place for over sixteen years. Previous participants in such missions have typically faced deportation rather than criminal prosecution under Israeli immigration protocols.
