Flotilla ship Mikeno breaks Israeli blockade, reaches Gaza waters

In a historic development, Mikeno — one of the ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla — successfully broke through the Israeli blockade and entered Gaza’s territorial waters on Thursday. It is the first civilian ship to do so, according to the flotilla’s tracker.

While Israeli forces intercepted and stopped 14 boats carrying foreign activists and aid, flotilla organizers confirmed that 23 other vessels are still on their way to Gaza. The ship Mikeno reached Palestinian waters after facing more than 20 interceptions and is now just nine nautical miles from Gaza.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is a humanitarian effort made up of more than 40 civilian boats carrying food and medicine. On board are around 500 people, including parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists, who say their mission is peaceful and meant to help Gaza’s people.

Videos shared on Telegram show some passengers claiming they were detained and taken to Israel against their will. They stressed their mission is non-violent and purely humanitarian.

Israel’s Response

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X (Twitter) that several flotilla vessels had been stopped safely and passengers taken to an Israeli port. The statement added, “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”

Growing International Reaction

The flotilla’s journey across the Mediterranean has gained global attention. Turkey, Spain, and Italy even sent boats and drones to monitor the situation and help their nationals if needed.

Turkey’s foreign ministry called Israel’s action against the flotilla “an act of terror” that endangered civilians. Istanbul’s chief prosecutor also launched an investigation into the detention of 24 Turkish citizens on board, accusing Israel of illegal actions.

Meanwhile, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel’s entire diplomatic team after two Colombians were detained in the flotilla. Israel has not had an ambassador in Colombia since last year.

The situation continues to create strong international pressure on Israel as the flotilla moves closer to Gaza.

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