Israeli forces intercept Global Sumud flotilla in international waters near Crete

Israeli forces intercepted vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near Crete on April 29, in what organisers described as the largest humanitarian maritime mission to date.

The operation took place about 600 nautical miles (1,111 km) from Gaza, further from the territory than previous interceptions, says Al Jazeera.

An anonymous Israeli military source said the mission's "aim was to surprise the flotilla by striking so far from Gaza." Jack Barton noted: "So this is much, much further than any sort of raid that Israel has carried out on the flotilla in the past."

The flotilla comprises 58 vessels carrying more than 400 civilians and humanitarian supplies. "Communication with 11 vessels have been lost and Israeli media claims that 7 boats have been intercepted. Governments must act now to protect the flotilla," the group said in a social media post.

Participants described the operation as involving drones, communications jamming and armed boarding teams. "Our boats were approached by military speedboats, self-identified as 'Israel', pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons, ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees," the mission said in a statement.

On board, writer and activist Tariq Ra'ouf said: "Drones have been surrounding us and flashing us with lights. And we've been getting messages from the Israeli military through our radio, saying that we are breaking international law and that we need to stop." He added: "We've lost communication with many of our boats," and said Israel used "psychological warfare" by jamming communications with music. "We are in international waters, and so this is a really, truly, unprecedented move from Israel, because we are nowhere near Gaza," he said.

The flotilla's organisers said: "Israeli military boats have illegally surrounded the flotilla in international waters and threatened kidnapping and violence."

Spokesperson Gur Tsabar described the boarding as "a straight-up attack on unarmed civilian boats in international waters". He added: "This is illegal under international law. Israel has no jurisdiction in these waters. Boarding these boats amounts to illegal detention – potentially kidnapping on the high seas," in comments to Al Jazeera.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, defended the operation, stating the flotilla was "stopped before reaching our area" and that soldiers acted with "determination dealing with a group of delusional attention-seeking agitators".

"It's critical that all governments act now. Every government has an obligation to protect the over 400 civilians on board and to uphold international law. Silence in this moment is absolute complicity," the flotilla mission said.

The mission follows a previous interception in October in which Israeli forces stopped around 40 boats and detained more than 450 participants, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and a grandson of Nelson Mandela. Organisers have called on international governments to intervene, saying civilians remain on vessels whose status is unclear.