Four Italian citizens have been deported from Israel after the Israeli military intercepted boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, the country’s foreign ministry confirmed.
Over 470 activists were detained in the operation, with authorities continuing to process the remaining participants for deportation.
The flotilla’s final vessel was stopped on Friday morning, sparking international protests, including a general strike in Italy. Israel described the flotilla’s actions as a "provocation," while the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) insisted the interceptions were illegal.
The flotilla boats were halted at different distances from Gaza, with the first stopped about 70 nautical miles from the coast in international waters.
Israel said its navy had warned the vessels for entering an active combat zone and violating a naval blockade, while the GSF maintained the interceptions were unlawful.
In a statement, Israel’s foreign ministry said, "Already four Italian citizens have been deported. The rest are in the process of being deported. Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible." The ministry confirmed that all detainees are safe and in good health.
The flotilla reported that many activists were targeted with water cannons during the interception. It also noted the presence of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg on one vessel, without providing further details on her status.
On Friday, the GSF said, "Over 38 hours, Israeli occupation naval forces illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels,each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel's illegal siege on Gaza."
The last ship, Marinette, was intercepted about 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza in international waters.
"Live streams and communications have been cut, and the status of participants and crew remains unconfirmed," the flotilla added. “This is an illegal attack on unarmed humanitarians. We call on governments and international institutions to demand their immediate safety and release.”
A livestream from the Marinette showed a passenger signaling “We see a ship!” shortly before 10:00 local time, followed by a dinghy carrying armed troops approaching the vessel. A larger military ship could also be seen in the background.
Tracking data placed the Marinette 43 nautical miles (80 km) from Gaza just before it was boarded. Five vessels intercepted on Thursday are now docked at Israel’s Ashdod Naval Base, while hundreds of activists remain aboard the MSC Johannesburg, a Liberia-flagged container ship near Ashdod.