Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla in international waters, detains dozens

Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of activist boats attempting to break the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip, detaining dozens of crew members in international waters near the Greek island of Crete. The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona earlier this month, comprised over 70 boats and 1,000 participants from around the world. Organizers accused Israel of 'abduction,' stating the seizure occurred over 600 miles from Gaza. Israel's Foreign Ministry reported taking about 175 activists from more than 20 boats to Israel. The interception marks the second such incident in under a year. Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade on Gaza since 2007, which Israel defends as necessary to prevent arms imports, while critics view it as collective punishment.