In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry denounced the operation, which took place as the vessels were heading to the Gaza Strip with the aim of breaking the blockade and delivering humanitarian aid.

“The attack by Israeli forces in international waters against the flotilla constitutes an act of piracy,” the statement emphasized, adding that the action violates international law and humanitarian principles.

It also indicated that the interception infringes upon freedom of navigation in international waters and urged the international community to adopt a unified stance against what it described as an illegal act.

The ministry noted that it is coordinating with the countries involved to monitor the situation of Turkish citizens and other participants aboard the vessels.

According to organizers of the initiative, Israeli forces seized more than twenty boats on the high seas, near the Greek coast, while other vessels continued their journey.

The mission, called Spring 2026, departed from Sicily with the purpose of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and denouncing the situation in that territory.

This is the second initiative of its kind, following an attempt in 2025 that was also intercepted by Israel, resulting in the arrest and subsequent deportation of hundreds of activists.

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