Global Sumud Flotilla detects 'unknown ships' near its convoy

The Global Sumud Flotilla announced late Sunday that it had detected "unidentified vessels" near its boats as it headed to the Gaza Strip to break an Israeli blockade of the Palestinian enclave.

The humanitarian aid flotilla said on the US social media platform X that "naval vessels and speedboats were spotted in front of, behind, and to one side of the fleet."

In a separate statement shared by the flotilla’s crisis desk, organizers said there was “movement of unidentified drones and military elements” around the convoy.

The development came after the flotilla announced its arrival in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Global Sumud Flotilla 2026 Spring Mission, aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and delivering vital humanitarian aid, was intercepted by the Israeli army off the coast of Crete between April 29 and April 30.

The aid flotilla was attacked on April 30 near Crete, some 600 nautical miles from its destination.

The flotilla's first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, left Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel's years-long blockade.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli army launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.

*Writing by Rasa Evrensel and Seyit Kurt in Istanbul