French MEP (member of parliament) Emma Fourreau, one of the volunteers, has called for global protests after a raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla Global Sumud resulted in the seizure of several vessels.
The flotilla had been scheduled to reach Gaza’s coast early on 2 October, but Israeli forces launched the attack late Wednesday night, seizing at least 13 ships and detaining more than 200 volunteers, organisers said.
The flotilla carried humanitarian supplies to a Gaza population facing severe hunger and malnutrition amid the ongoing siege and hostilities.
Israel has said it would stop the flotilla, accusing volunteers of attempting to breach a lawful naval blockade, while asserting security and legal grounds for its actions.
Bangladeshi photographer and rights activist Shahidul Alam, aboard the Conscience of the Global Sumud Flotilla, initially said the attack on the vessel Alma could also happen to them.
Later in a Facebook video, he confirmed that Alma was seized by Israeli forces in international waters near Gaza, with all communication lost afterward. Despite storms and growing risks, Alam stressed that the mission to deliver aid to Gaza continues.
Reuters reported that Israel has already detained 13 ships and over 200 activists, including Greta Thunberg. Still, around 30 aid-laden boats carrying volunteers from 44 countries remain en route to Gaza.
Trump’s peace plan
US President Donald Trump had unveiled a 20-point “peace plan” to halt the Gaza conflict, earning backing from key world leaders. The proposal was announced after Trump’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.
It includes a ceasefire, prisoner releases, Hamas disarmament, and the temporary deployment of an international stabilization force to administer Gaza.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, the UK and France welcomed the plan. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently recognised Palestine as a state, urged Hamas to accept the deal, surrender weapons and free captives. Germany’s foreign minister called it a “unique chance” to end the war.
Yet doubts persist. Analysts note that Israeli strikes continued even during talks, with at least 50 Palestinians killed Monday alone, raising concerns the plan may not materialise.
Since October 2023, the war has left over 66,000 dead and 170,000 injured in Gaza.
