By Colonel (Ret) Ann Wright, World BEYOND War
May 20, 2026 Update:
By 8pm local time on May 19, 2026, the last ten boats of the 2026 Gaza flotilla had been illegally seized by the Israeli military in international water approximately 118 nautical miles from Gaza.
“Lina” was the last flotilla vessel seized in international waters
The last boat to be seized of the 54 boat flotilla was the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC)’s boat named “Lina.” The flotilla boats had been sailing toward Gaza in the largest civilian flotilla in the history of support for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank attempting to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
The “Lina” has a remarkable history. She was launched from Marseilles, France with twenty boats of the Thousand Madleens and came to Centraro, Italy. From Cetraro, she and another Thousand Madleens boat Tenaz, joined the FFC boats Adalah and Perservance in Siracusa, Sicily. They were joined by the Kiriakou X near Crete and the five sailed together for several days in the Greek islands and then meeting the Global Sumud flotilla off Marmaris Bay in Turkiye on May 14.
The history of the 2026 Gaza flotilla can be seen on the FFC/GSF tracker: https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-gsf-tracker/
470 Unarmed Civilian Participants Kidnapped by Israeli Military Forces
Over the past two days, approximately 470 unarmed civilian participants from 45 countries have been kidnapped in international waters by Israeli military forces, placed in a cargo “prison ship” and ultimately taken against their wills to Israel, put in Israeli prison for several days and ultimately deported.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition five boats had 37 participants from 13 countries.
22 Vessels Attacked and 179 Gaza Flotilla Participants Taken by Israeli Military Forces Off Crete, Greece on April 30, 2026
On April 30, 2026, only two days after the Global Sumud Flotilla left the port of Augusta, Sicily, Itally, Israeli military forces attack the GSF fleet, damaged and disabled 22 flotilla vessels and abducted 179 people at gunpoint in international waters off the Greek island of Crete.
The remainder of the Global Sumud Glotilla fleet regrouped off Crete and later joined 17 vessels from Turkiye in Marmaris, Turkiye. That group was then joined by five vessels from the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition on May 14, 2026.
The large flotilla then headed to Gaza when it was again attacked by Israeli forces on May 18 and 19, 2026.
Israelis Fired Shots and Flotilla Boats Purposely Damaged and Set Adrift in Violation of International Law
Israeli military forces fired on at least two flotilla vessels during their attacks on the Gaza flotilla. It is still unknown if any participants were injured as Israeli officials deny the shots despite video footage.
Flotilla boats have been purposely damaged by the Israeli military. On May 19, the Sirus boat, the second to the last boat to be illegally seized by the IOF, was purposely rammed by an Israeli naval ship. We do not know the extent of damage to the boat or to participants on the boat as the camera on the boat was broken by the ramming.
Prior to the ramming, participants on the ship were hosed by the ship’s water cannon. We do not know whether the liquid poured on the participants was the notoriously noxious “skunk” water, which has previously been used on Gaza fishers and on other international activists. All of the 54 boats of the Gaza flotilla have been left adrift in international waters and are hazards to international shipping, another violation of international law by the Israeli military and government.
Interception of the 54 boat flotilla, which included boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition and many other organizations from Turkiye, Malaysia and Indonesia began on Monday, May 18, 2026 at 10:30am Turkiye time and ended with the attack on the Lina approximately 46 hours later at 8:00pm on May 19. 2026.
Cargo “Prison ship” arrives in Ashdod Wednesday, May 20, 2026 in the early morning
The cargo “prison” ship on which Captains, crew and participants were incarcerated after interception stayed in the area until the last flotilla boat was seized and participants loaded on board. The prison ship is scheduled to arrive in Ashdod port, Israel about 5am Palestine time. Flotilla participants will be processed by the Israeli government in Ashdod. Israeli Foreign Ministry video of some participants greeting each other on the cargo ship: https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-gsf-tracker/
After extensive processing procedures, with participants waiting in the sun in uncomfortable positions, such as having to kneel on concrete for hours and attempted humiliation by guards, but nothing in comparison to what happens to Palestinians, flotilla participants will be sent to the notorious Ktzi’ot prison for detention for several days before deportation proceedings begin.
Report on Ktzi’ot prison: “Welcome To Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps”
2025 GSF and Conscience flotilla participants were also sent to the Ktzi’ot prison which has held thousands of Palestinians under terrible conditions over the decades. In August 2024, B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights NGO, released a report “Welcome To Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps” (PDF). B’Tselem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. August 2024, detailing testimonies of 55 Palestinians held in Israeli custody since October 7, 2023, including 12 Palestinians held in the Ktzi’ot prison. This report described a lack of food and water, severe beating, and sexual abuse.
Upon Deportation, Flotilla Participants Have Been Sent to Istanbul, Amman, Jordan and Athens, Greece.
For the past few flotillas, twice in 2025 and in Crete, Greece in 2026, the Turkish government has kindly sent a Turkish airliner to retrieve some of the participants and bring them to the Istanbul International airport for onward flights home.
Other participants have been taken by Israeli transport to the border crossing to Jordan and turned over to the embassies of the participants.
Also in 2025, some GSF participants were flown to Athens, Greece.
Embassy officials Should Meet with Their National Citizens: Many Do, But NOT the U.S. Embassy generally
Government officials assigned to their respective Embassies in Israel, should visit their national citizens during their imprisonment and assist in their departure from Israel.
However, due to U.S. government policies that support the criminal actions of the State of Israel, including the complicity in the genocide of Palestinians by the providing of bombs and other lethal weapons to Israel, in the case of U.S. citizens, the U.S. Embassy in Israel and the U.S. State Department, generally do not meet, nor provide any assistance to U.S. citizens who challenge U.S. policies through the nonviolent actions such as the Gaza flotilla.
U.S. Government at the Direction of the State of Israel Wrongfully Calls Gaza Flotillas as Supporting Hamas and Puts Sanctions On Four Persons for Membership in PCPA and Samidoun for Solidarity with Palestine Prisoners
This year, the U.S. Department of State, no doubt at the direction of the Trump administration’s genocidal best-friend the State of Israel, wrote a particularly mean-spirited notice to Gaza flotilla participants who are U.S. citizens of conscience who challenge U.S. government complicity in the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.
The U.S. government followed on May 19, 2026, with another Trump administration/Israeli government attempt at destroying support for Palestinians, by directing the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control to take “action against four individuals associated with the pro-Hamas flotilla organized by the US-designated Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) that is attempting to access Gaza in support of Hamas.”..
The U.S. Treasury Department wrote at the direction of Trump’s ally the State of Israel: “The sanctioned individuals are Saif Abu Keshek, a Palestinian with Spanish and Swedish citizenship and PCPA leader who helped organize and lead Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) missions; Jordan-based PCPA president Hisham Abdallah Sulayman Abu Mahfuz; Mohammed Khatib, who is based in Belgium and is the European coordinator for Samidoun, the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network; and Jaldia Abubakra Aueda, Samidoun’s coordinator in Madrid.”
Foreign Ministers of Ten Countries Condemn Israeli Attacks on the Gaza Flotilla
On Monday, May 18, 2026, the Foreign Ministers of Turkiye, Spain, Jordan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Libya, and the Maldives released a joint statement, describing Israeli forces’ actions as “blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law”.
In the statement, the Foreign Ministers expressed “serious concern regarding the safety and security of the civilian participants of the flotilla” and called for the “immediate release of all detained activists, as well as for full respect for their rights and dignity”
Training to Help Endure Both Physical and Mental Abuse by Israeli Military, Prison and Other Government Officials
In a true test of their nonviolence training to endure both physical and mental abuse, participants may have to be close to and listen to various Israeli government ministers berate them for challenging Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, destruction of southern Lebanon and massive attacks on Iran.
May 19, 2026, Update:
Ten boats, including the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s boat “Lina” are still sailing toward Gaza in the largest civilian flotilla in the history of support for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank attempting to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.. You can watch their process on tracker: https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-gsf-tracker/
Nine U.S. citizens are on the ten boats still underway to Gaza!! Over 400 unarmed civilian participants from 45 countries have been kidnapped in international waters by Israeli military forces.
Their boats have been purposely damaged by the Israeli military and left adrift as a hazard to international shipping and as another violation of international law by the Israeli government.
The 54 boat flotilla, which included boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition and many other organizations from Turkiye, Malaysia and Indonesia was intercepted yesterday, Monday, May 18, 2026 beginning at 10:30am Turkiye time.
The cargo “prison” ship that Captains, crew and participants were incarcerated into after interception has slowly moved toward Ashdod port in Israel where flotilla participants historically have been processed by the Israeli government. Israeli Foreign Ministry video of some participants greeting each other on the cargo ship: https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-gsf-tracker/
After extensive processing procedures, flotilla participants are sent to a prison for detention for several days before deportation proceedings begin.
For the past few flotillas, twice in 2025 and in Crete, Greece in 2026, the Turkish government has kindly sent a Turkish airliner to retrieve some of the participants and bring them to the Istanbul International airport for onward flights home.
Other participants were taken by Israeli transport to the border crossing to Jordan and turned over to the embassies of the participants.
In the case of U.S. citizens, the U.S. government, the lap-dog of Israel, generally does not meet, nor provide any assistance to U.S. citizens, as required by U.S. law.
We anticipate the prison ship will dock at Ashdod port today and processing will begin with participants waiting in the sun in uncomfortable positions, such as having to knee on concrete.
In a true test of their nonviolence training, they may have to be close to and listen to various Israeli government ministers berate them for challenging Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, destruction of southern Lebanon and massive attacks on Iran.
May 18, 2026, Update:
The largest civilian flotilla in the history of support for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank was intercepted beginning at 10:30am Turkiye time, Monday, May 18, 2026, 250 nautical miles from Gaza.
Multiple large Israeli warships disgorged a large number of zodiac boats filled with combat laden Isreali Offensive Forces.
At this point, 45 minutes into the interception, the combat Israeli military personnel forcefully boarded many of the 57 ships in the flotilla organized by Global Sumud Flotilla, Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association.
Israeli military is reporting that participants from the flotilla will be put on a large cargo ship that we call the “prison ship” and will be taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
I will report more on the names of ships taken as the situation develops.
The sail of the U.S. Boats to Gaza – sponsored boat—Adalah—is a tribute to the Palestinian activist, community leader, and father, Awda Hathaleen, who was shot dead by an Israeli settler in his village of Um il-Kheir in July 2025. Awda was a friend of Bob Suberi, who is crewing the Adalah boat. (Photo by Ann Wright)
Solidarity with Gaza Flotilla Needed NOW!
By Colonel (Ret) Ann Wright and Huwaida Arraf, U.S. Boats to Gaza
The U.S. Boats to Gaza, one of the 18 national campaigns of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla coalition (FFC) urgently requests solidarity and action to help safeguard the current flotilla mission enroute Gaza. There are 25 U.S. citizens among the over 500 participants from 45 countries on the 2026 flotilla to Gaza.
As the almost 60 vessels from the FFC, Global Sumud Flotilla, and the Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association move closer to Gaza, hostile rhetoric from Israeli media and political circles has intensified significantly.
False accusations and inflammatory narratives are already being circulated in what appears to be an effort to delegitimize the mission and lay the groundwork for not only unlawful aggression against unarmed civilians, but potentially lethal violence against our boats. In this moment, broad public visibility and political pressure are essential.
This mission is a lawful, civilian-led initiative challenging the ongoing blockade imposed on Gaza. It is critical that organizations, elected officials, community leaders, and individuals publicly affirm the legitimacy of the flotilla and demand the protection of everyone on board.
Recent media coverage connected to the Israeli establishment has insinuated that the flotilla could be treated as a security or “terror” threat. These allegations are entirely unfounded. They follow a familiar pattern in which humanitarian and solidarity efforts are deliberately misrepresented to rationalize state violence before it occurs.
We have seen this language used before in relation to attacks on civilian missions, including the deadly assault on the Mavi Marmara, in which 10 of our colleagues were murdered, including one U.S. citizen, 19-year-old Furkan Dǒgan.
These threats must be taken seriously. Israel has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to attack civilians, humanitarian workers, journalists, and solidarity activists while facing no meaningful accountability from powerful governments. Silence at this stage only increases the danger.
We therefore ask supporters to take the following actions immediately:
- This flotilla is made up of almost 60 vessels carrying hundreds of people from over 45 countries. LEARN about the participants on the five FFC Boats here: https://freedomflotilla.org/2026-participants/
- FOLLOW the flotilla on our tracker: freedomflotilla.org/ffc-gsf-tracker
- AMPLIFY updates from the flotilla across social media and public platforms, including Instagram content FFCand GSF.You can also follow us on: Facebook, Telegram, TikTok, Bluesky, and LinkedIn and help amplify our content. Find all our channels and important updates here https://linktr.ee/freedomflotillacoalition
- ORGANIZE: If you represent an NGO, coalition, union, faith institution, or community organization, issue a public statement or press release calling for the flotilla’s protection and the right of civilians to reach Gaza. Organize a local vigil or protest to demand safe passage for the flotilla.
- CONTACT members of Congress — especially representatives connected to participants aboard the flotilla — and demand that they publicly oppose any attack, interception, detention, or use of force against the mission. Calls should also demand an end to U.S. weapons transfers supporting Israeli military actions.
The U.S. Capitol switchboard is: (202) 224-3121. - CALL ON local and state officials to publicly support the mission and speak against any violence targeting civilian delegates.
- As always, if you can, DONATE: http://usboatstogaza.org/donate
At its core, this flotilla consists of unarmed civilians attempting to challenge an illegal and deadly blockade that has devastated Gaza for nearly two decades and has been used as a tool of starvation and genocide. Efforts to portray such a mission as “terrorism” reveal the extent to which Palestinian humanity — and even solidarity with Palestinians — is routinely criminalized and dehumanized. On the anniversary of the Nakba, these realities remain impossible to separate from the broader structures of dispossession and violence Palestinians continue to endure.
About the Authors:
Ann Wright served 29 years in the U.S. Army/Army Reserves and retired as a Colonel. She was a U.S. diplomat for 16 years, but resigned from the U.S. government in 2003 in opposition to the U.S. war on Iraq. She has been on many flotilla missions including with the Mavi Marmara mission in 2010 and the Women’s Boat in 2016.
Huwaida Arraf is a human rights lawyer and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) for Palestine. She was on the small boats that succeeded in getting into Gaza in 2008. She was on the Mavi Marmara mission in 2010 and was the boat leader for the Handala and Conscience missions in 2025.
