Some boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla dock in Augusta, Sicily Italy.
Despite Israeli Kidnapping, We Will Continue to Sail Boats to Gaza
Twenty-one boats were attacked by Israeli naval forces about 80 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Crete in international waters; 179 participants from 33 countries were taken against their will.
In the evening of Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Israeli naval forces attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza. An unknown number of Israeli military ships went over 700 miles to attack a 54 ship flotilla that was headed for Gaza to attempt to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring worldwide attention to the continuing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, Israeli ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, the destruction and occupation of southern Lebanon and the attacks on Iran.
Twenty-one boats were attacked by Israeli naval forces about 80 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Crete in international waters; 179 participants from 33 countries were taken against their will from boats that were damaged by Israeli naval forces and put onto a commercial cargo ship that may arrive at the Israeli port of Ashdod around Saturday, May 2.
We anticipate that they will be processed at a dock facility in Ashdod, then transported to an Israeli prison and in three to five days deported from the country with a 10-100 year ban on returning to Israel, which means that one cannot get to the West Bank for actions in solidarity with Palestinians who are under attack by Zionist Israeli settlers who steal Palestinian land and animals and burn Palestinian houses and cars.
Fifteen US citizens were among the 179 that were kidnapped by Israeli forces.
As a US citizen in opposition to the US government complicity, no matter which political party is in power, in Israeli attacks on Gaza, I have been a part of the flotilla movement since 2010.
Thirty-two flotilla boats remain afloat, although many were damaged by Israeli naval forces and may be forced into ports on the large Greek island of Crete for repairs. No doubt the Israeli naval forces will be lurking like sharks in the waters off Crete waiting for the small boats to come out.
4 More Boats Are in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
I am in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and its four boats, two of which came from the Thousand Madleens organization.
The FFC has been sailing boats to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza since 2010 with over 35 boats sailed in the years from 2008-2025.
2025 Was a Remarkable Year for International Citizen Solidarity with Palestine
2025 was a remarkable year for international citizen solidarity with Palestine. In July the Madleen sailboat sailed to break the Siege of Gaza; followed by the 3,000+ person Global Sumud Land Convoy through Egypt, Libya, and Tunisa; followed by the FFC ship Handala sailing to break the blockade; followed by the large 42 boat Global Sumud Flotilla; followed by the FFC Conscience ship that sailed with eight boats of the “Thousand Madleens.”
Actions Against US Complicity in the Israeli Genocide of Gaza
As a US citizen in opposition to the US government complicity, no matter which political party is in power, in Israeli attacks on Gaza, I have been a part of the flotilla movement since 2010 as a participant on the flotilla that included the large ship Mavi Marmara on which Israeli soldiers killed 10 and wounded 50. All six ships in that flotilla were attacked by Israeli naval forces and participants assaulted, taken to Israel, imprisoned in Israel, and ultimately deported.
We will continue to sail boats until the genocide of Gaza ends and we break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
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In the evening of Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Israeli naval forces attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza. An unknown number of Israeli military ships went over 700 miles to attack a 54 ship flotilla that was headed for Gaza to attempt to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring worldwide attention to the continuing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, Israeli ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, the destruction and occupation of southern Lebanon and the attacks on Iran.
Twenty-one boats were attacked by Israeli naval forces about 80 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Crete in international waters; 179 participants from 33 countries were taken against their will from boats that were damaged by Israeli naval forces and put onto a commercial cargo ship that may arrive at the Israeli port of Ashdod around Saturday, May 2.
We anticipate that they will be processed at a dock facility in Ashdod, then transported to an Israeli prison and in three to five days deported from the country with a 10-100 year ban on returning to Israel, which means that one cannot get to the West Bank for actions in solidarity with Palestinians who are under attack by Zionist Israeli settlers who steal Palestinian land and animals and burn Palestinian houses and cars.
Fifteen US citizens were among the 179 that were kidnapped by Israeli forces.
As a US citizen in opposition to the US government complicity, no matter which political party is in power, in Israeli attacks on Gaza, I have been a part of the flotilla movement since 2010.
Thirty-two flotilla boats remain afloat, although many were damaged by Israeli naval forces and may be forced into ports on the large Greek island of Crete for repairs. No doubt the Israeli naval forces will be lurking like sharks in the waters off Crete waiting for the small boats to come out.
4 More Boats Are in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
I am in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and its four boats, two of which came from the Thousand Madleens organization.
The FFC has been sailing boats to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza since 2010 with over 35 boats sailed in the years from 2008-2025.
2025 Was a Remarkable Year for International Citizen Solidarity with Palestine
2025 was a remarkable year for international citizen solidarity with Palestine. In July the Madleen sailboat sailed to break the Siege of Gaza; followed by the 3,000+ person Global Sumud Land Convoy through Egypt, Libya, and Tunisa; followed by the FFC ship Handala sailing to break the blockade; followed by the large 42 boat Global Sumud Flotilla; followed by the FFC Conscience ship that sailed with eight boats of the “Thousand Madleens.”
Actions Against US Complicity in the Israeli Genocide of Gaza
As a US citizen in opposition to the US government complicity, no matter which political party is in power, in Israeli attacks on Gaza, I have been a part of the flotilla movement since 2010 as a participant on the flotilla that included the large ship Mavi Marmara on which Israeli soldiers killed 10 and wounded 50. All six ships in that flotilla were attacked by Israeli naval forces and participants assaulted, taken to Israel, imprisoned in Israel, and ultimately deported.
We will continue to sail boats until the genocide of Gaza ends and we break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.
- Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention Backs Gaza-Bound Global Sumud Flotilla ›
- As Israeli Forces Seize Final Sumud Boat, Another Flotilla Sails Toward Gaza ›
- 'This Is Piracy': Israel Condemned for Seizure of Gaza-Bound Flotilla Near Greece ›
- 16 Nations Warn Israel Against Attacking Gaza-Bound Global Sumud Flotilla ›
- Israeli Forces Spark Global Outrage by Intercepting Sumud Flotilla Off Gaza Coast ›
In the evening of Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Israeli naval forces attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza. An unknown number of Israeli military ships went over 700 miles to attack a 54 ship flotilla that was headed for Gaza to attempt to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring worldwide attention to the continuing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, Israeli ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, the destruction and occupation of southern Lebanon and the attacks on Iran.
Twenty-one boats were attacked by Israeli naval forces about 80 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Crete in international waters; 179 participants from 33 countries were taken against their will from boats that were damaged by Israeli naval forces and put onto a commercial cargo ship that may arrive at the Israeli port of Ashdod around Saturday, May 2.
We anticipate that they will be processed at a dock facility in Ashdod, then transported to an Israeli prison and in three to five days deported from the country with a 10-100 year ban on returning to Israel, which means that one cannot get to the West Bank for actions in solidarity with Palestinians who are under attack by Zionist Israeli settlers who steal Palestinian land and animals and burn Palestinian houses and cars.
Fifteen US citizens were among the 179 that were kidnapped by Israeli forces.
As a US citizen in opposition to the US government complicity, no matter which political party is in power, in Israeli attacks on Gaza, I have been a part of the flotilla movement since 2010.
Thirty-two flotilla boats remain afloat, although many were damaged by Israeli naval forces and may be forced into ports on the large Greek island of Crete for repairs. No doubt the Israeli naval forces will be lurking like sharks in the waters off Crete waiting for the small boats to come out.
4 More Boats Are in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
I am in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and its four boats, two of which came from the Thousand Madleens organization.
The FFC has been sailing boats to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza since 2010 with over 35 boats sailed in the years from 2008-2025.
2025 Was a Remarkable Year for International Citizen Solidarity with Palestine
2025 was a remarkable year for international citizen solidarity with Palestine. In July the Madleen sailboat sailed to break the Siege of Gaza; followed by the 3,000+ person Global Sumud Land Convoy through Egypt, Libya, and Tunisa; followed by the FFC ship Handala sailing to break the blockade; followed by the large 42 boat Global Sumud Flotilla; followed by the FFC Conscience ship that sailed with eight boats of the “Thousand Madleens.”
Actions Against US Complicity in the Israeli Genocide of Gaza
As a US citizen in opposition to the US government complicity, no matter which political party is in power, in Israeli attacks on Gaza, I have been a part of the flotilla movement since 2010 as a participant on the flotilla that included the large ship Mavi Marmara on which Israeli soldiers killed 10 and wounded 50. All six ships in that flotilla were attacked by Israeli naval forces and participants assaulted, taken to Israel, imprisoned in Israel, and ultimately deported.
We will continue to sail boats until the genocide of Gaza ends and we break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.
- Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention Backs Gaza-Bound Global Sumud Flotilla ›
- As Israeli Forces Seize Final Sumud Boat, Another Flotilla Sails Toward Gaza ›
- 'This Is Piracy': Israel Condemned for Seizure of Gaza-Bound Flotilla Near Greece ›
- 16 Nations Warn Israel Against Attacking Gaza-Bound Global Sumud Flotilla ›
- Israeli Forces Spark Global Outrage by Intercepting Sumud Flotilla Off Gaza Coast ›