October 8, 2025

Israel Attacks New Freedom Flotilla

Israeli forces raided the nine vessels carrying aid and international activists to Gaza sailing under the name Thousand Madleens. The latest raid took place on October 8 approximately 120 nautical miles (220 km) from Gaza, with civilian vessels carrying doctors, journalists, elected officials, and vital aid, including medicines, respiratory equipment, and nutritional supplies worth over $110,000. Nine boats were hijacked within an hour. All vessels were illegally raided in international waters. The seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the binding orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.

The coalition highlighted that the attacks follow the illegal seizure and detention of the Global Samud, Handala and Madleen Flotillas as well as a prior Israeli drone strike on the vessel Conscience in European waters, which damaged it. “These repeated attacks on unarmed civilians demonstrate Israel’s deliberate escalation and the total failure of governments to enforce international law,” the statement said.

(Al Mayadeen)