Despite Being Intercepted, The Global Sumud Flotilla Distracted Israel And Allowed Palestinians To Fish In Gaza
People said Israeli forces were focused on stopping and detaining the activists aboard the flotilla, which likely allowed some room for fishermen in Gaza to fish.
Despite the Global Sumud Flotilla being intercepted by Isarel before delivering aid to Gaza, it still managed to achieve its goal of bringing food to Palestinians by creating a distraction for Palestinians to be able to fish.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has been imposing a siege on Gaza, restricting movement, supplies, and access by land, air and sea.
Since early 2025, the Israeli military also declared Gaza's waters a "no-go zone," banning Palestinians from fishing, swimming and accessing the sea in large parts of Gaza's coastal waters.
Israeli forces frequently attacked fishermen and fishing infrastructure, including destroying Gaza’s main port, fishing landing sites and the majority of fishing boats and equipment, which had nearly collapsed the fishing industry in Gaza.
Between Wednesday, Oct. 1, and Thursday, Oct. 2, Israeli forces had intercepted at least 39 boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla, kidnapping and detaining more than 400 activists and confiscating the aid and medicine meant for Palestinians in Gaza.
Videos shared on social media on Friday, Oct. 2, showed Palestinians going into the sea and fishing for the first time in a long time.
People said Israeli forces were focused on stopping and detaining the activists aboard the flotilla, which likely allowed some room for fishermen in Gaza to fish.
Israel has since deported about 170 activists back to their countries.
Many of the activists said that Israeli forces treated them violently, strip-searching them, depriving them of water for at least 24 hours and even beating some of them.
However, Israel’s foreign ministry denied the reports, calling them “brazen lies” and saying “all the detainees’ legal rights were fully upheld.”
Cherry Mohamed
Ikran Dahir
Kassy Cho
