Prosecution moves to seize 50 foreign vessels linked to Gaza flotilla after blockade breach attempt
The flotilla, widely reported as the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), set sail in late August and included dozens of vessels and hundreds of activists from multiple countries.
The prosecution filed a motion on Monday seeking the permanent confiscation of 50 foreign-flagged vessels that attempted to breach Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The flotilla, widely reported as the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), set sail in late August and included dozens of vessels and hundreds of activists from multiple countries.
The Israeli Navy intercepted the flotilla in early October, detaining more than 400 participants. Israel maintains that the maritime blockade is lawful and necessary to prevent arms shipments to Hamas. Organisers argued that the flotilla’s humanitarian goal and maritime-law protections justify their attempt.
The request by the prosecution notes that a “significant number” of the vessels were either owned or financed by Hamas or affiliates, including a front company named “Neptune Cyber” linked to the NGO Palestinian Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA).
The request rests on international law precedent that allows a blockading state to seize vessels that attempt to breach a lawful naval blockade.
Activists including Greta Thunberg, stand on a boat that is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, as seen from the port in Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025 (credit: BRUNA CASAS/REUTERS)
According to the filing, the first wave of 41 vessels was intercepted on October 1, with a second wave of nine vessels intercepted about a week later. The prosecution said the flotilla was “unprecedented in scale and scope… organised and centrally-directed…” and that its “movement resembled military vessels sailing in formation.”
Flotilla carried less than five tons of aid
The motion notes that the flotilla carried less than five tons of humanitarian aid between all vessels – approximately a quarter of what a single truck entering Gaza normally brings – arguing this undercuts the claim that the mission was primarily humanitarian. By contrast, humanitarian organisations report hundreds of trucks enter Gaza daily. Critics have said that the flotilla was more about symbolism and media attention than aid delivery.
Numerous activists alleged mistreatment while in Israeli custody – including beatings, denial of medical access, being held with weapons pointed at their heads, and being forced to sleep on floors. Israeli authorities denied the abuse allegations, stating that detainees’ rights were upheld and accusing activists and their legal representatives of spreading “brazen lies.”
The case now lies with the Haifa District Court, sitting in its maritime jurisdiction, as the prosecution will seek judicial approval to permanently seize the vessels. The outcome could set a precedent for the enforcement of naval blockade provisions and the treatment of foreign-flagged vessels engaged in such missions.
