Flotilla members have not committed any crime: Mexico’s president

Claudia Sheinbaum has called on Israel to repatriate six Mexican nationals taking part the Global Sumud Flotilla who were detained by Israeli forces.

Speaking during her morning news conference, the Mexican president said her government also submitted diplomatic notes calling for the Israeli government to guarantee their physical well-being.

“Obviously, we are in opposition to this situation. Humanitarian assistance must arrive in Gaza,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the members of the flotilla “did not commit any crime”.

What we know about the fate of detained flotilla activists

Hundreds of activists – ranging from high-profile figures, such as Greta Thunberg, to little-known activists from more than 40 countries – were on board the flotilla vessels when they were seized by Israel.

Here’s what we know about their situation:

WHO chief laments killing of MSF staffer in Israeli attack in Gaza

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has mourned the “horrifying loss” of Omar Hayek, a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff member killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza earlier today.

As we reported earlier, MSF said Hayek and a handful of other medical workers were attacked while waiting to take a bus to a field hospital in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza.

The organisation said they were wearing MSF vests, clearly identifying them as medical workers. In addition to Hayek’s killing, four others were also seriously injured in the attack.

“Another horrifying loss of an MSF colleague in Gaza. Omar Hayek was an occupational therapist. Other colleagues injured include a physiotherapist, and an orthopaedic surgeon among others,” Tedros said in a social media post, without mentioning Israel by name.

“I mention their professions because I spoke earlier today of the urgent need for this specialised care for the thousands of injured Gazans. Every loss of a medical worker is a tragedy for their families, colleagues, and the people they will never be able to help,” the WHO chief said.

“Over the past two years, WHO has verified over 1700 attacks on health care in Gaza and the West Bank, resulting in more than 1000 deaths and 1800 injuries.”

This morning, an attack carried out by Israeli forces killed Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff member, Omar Hayek, and seriously injured four others. The attack took place on a street where our teams were waiting to take a bus to the MSF field hospital in Deir al Balah, Gaza.…

— MSF International (@MSF) October 2, 2025

Advocacy group urges Canada to condemn Israel’s flotilla interception

The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council is urging Foreign Minister Anita Anand to reject Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which had some Canadian citizens on board.

“The interception in Gaza’s territorial waters constitutes a violation of international law and endangers civilians,” the advocacy group said in a post on X.

It added that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government “has a duty to protect its citizens, uphold international law, and defend the rights and safety of Palestinians in Gaza, a territory it recently recognized as a sovereign state”.

Canada is among several countries, including the UK and France, that recently recognised a Palestinian state.

CMPAC calls on Minister @AnitaAnandMP to condemn Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla @GlobalSumudF in international waters. This flotilla, carrying over 40 vessels and 500 activists, including Canadian citizens, aimed to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge the…

— Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (@CMPAConline) October 2, 2025

Geneva police spray protesters with tear gas as thousands rally for flotilla

Police in Geneva have fired pepper spray and water cannon at protesters rallying in support of the flotilla, the Reuters news agency is reporting, citing witnesses.

Photos shared with Reuters showed plumes of white smoke, which witnesses identified as tear gas, wafting over a street crammed with protesters, the news agency said. A vehicle also sprayed water on the protest’s frontline.

“We were retreating and suddenly got heavily gassed,” one witness told Reuters, adding they were experiencing burning eyes and had difficulty breathing.

Approximately 3,000 protesters took to the streets of the Swiss city, some of whom were “throwing things” and spraying graffiti, police spokesperson Alexandre Brahier told the agency. “We had to use control measures including tear gas and water cannons,” he added.

Protesters have gathered in cities around the world to show support for the flotilla, including in Istanbul, Rome, London, Athens, Buenos Aires and Bogota.

Rallies continue around the world in support of Gaza flotilla


<sub>People protest outside the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy


Protesters carried a massive Palestinian flag at a rally in Athens, Greece


Protesters tussle with police in Madrid, Spain</sub>

Families call for release of flotilla activists

Families and friends of Gaza-bound flotilla activists detained by Israeli forces have joined a demonstration in the Netherlands demanding their release. Far-right Israeli officials have suggested the activists should be held in high-security prisons.

Flotilla organisers hail resolve of last vessel still sailing towards Gaza

In a post on Instagram, the Global Sumud Flotilla says the vessel Marinette is still sailing despite Israel’s interception of the other ships. “And she refuses to turn back,” the group said. “This isn’t just a ship. Marinette is sumud — steadfastness in the face of fear, blockade, and brutality.”

The flotilla organisers added that “Gaza is not alone.”

“Palestine is not forgotten. We are not going anywhere.”

"Shameful": Israel Seizes Gaza-Bound Vessels & Detains 400+, But More Boats Are Now Heading to Gaza

Palestinian activist Saif Abukeshek, who is on the steering committee of the Global Sumud Flotilla, says this latest attack reveals ongoing international complicity with Israel's violations of international law. "Israel has been committing genocide for 22 months, and nothing happens," says Abukeshek.

We also speak with reporter Emily Wilder, who is on board the "Conscience," still sailing toward Gaza as part of a later wave in the ongoing campaign to break the siege. She says that it was important for her, as a journalist, to bear witness and make it clear that "Israel does not represent my voice."

Freedom Flotilla Coalition Conscience Live Stream

Rome Unites in Protest — Meloni’s Israel Policy Under Siege

Thousands took to the streets of Rome to protest Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, demanding justice and solidarity with civilians in Gaza. Backed by Italy’s major trade unions, the demonstration turned into a political movement, calling for a nationwide str*ke on October 3. Marchers clashed with police near Palazzo Chigi before reaching Piazza San Silvestro, highlighting rising public anger over the humanitarian crisis and pressuring Italy’s government to act.

Israel KIDNAPS Flotilla: Piracy Denounced As “TERRORISM"

Israel’s Gaza Blockade Was Broken

Israel swore Gaza’s siege was airtight. Then a civilian flotilla broke through — and the world watched their ‘invincibility’ collapse in real time.

For years Israel has sold the world a story: the blockade of Gaza is airtight, the siege unbreakable, the jailer, as they are, is in total command. But overnight, the bars bent. Civilian boats — flour in their holds, activists on their decks — sailed straight for Gaza and made the whole performance look ridiculous. Naval destroyers chased bags of baby milk, drones harassed fishing boats, commandos abducting Greta Thunberg and Nelson Mandela’s grandson amongst many others, but still at least one vessel slipped through, entering Palestinian waters beyond Israel’s reach, the strength in numbers turning out to be unmanageable for Israel as we hoped it would be.

It’s not clear at time of writing if that vessel made it to shore or not, but to shatter that myth of Israeli invulnerability, they didn’t have to, the optics of just making it past the Israeli line are catastrophic. You can’t call yourself invincible when a single civilian vessel has beaten you and worse, the whole world bore witness to it. The Gaza Flotilla 2025 has shattered Israel’s claim that its blockade of Gaza is “unbreakable.”

Civilian vessels carrying flour, baby milk and medicine — including the Greek ship Mikeno and the Rachel Corrie — sailed directly towards Gaza, exposing the siege as vulnerable. Israel responded with naval destroyers, drones and commandos, abducting activists like Greta Thunberg, Mandla Mandela and Rima Hassan, yet still failed to stop every boat. This breach of the Gaza blockade is being called piracy under international law, with governments from Colombia to South Africa demanding accountability. From the memory of the Mavi Marmara to today’s Global Sumud Flotilla, the optics of Israeli warships chasing baby milk have ignited protests worldwide, raising the question: has the collapse of Israel’s Gaza siege already begun?

Israel’s war on Gaza – In numbers

In addition to the Israeli military’s unrelenting attacks on Gaza – which have killed tens of thousands of people – its ongoing blockade of the besieged enclave has also resulted in a severe food shortage that has so far caused the deaths of at least 440 people.

Among those who have died from starvation are 147 Palestinian children.

At least 63 killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza in last 24 hours

According to a statement by the Gaza Health Ministry, 227 others have been injured in Israeli bombing over the past day.

The total death toll in the enclave since October 7, 2023 has risen to 66,288 with 169,165 wounded, the ministry said. The actual number of dead is likely far higher with thousands of bodies believed buried under the vast debris of blown-up buildings throughout the Strip.

Newborn baby dies in Gaza City hospital under siege by Israel army

A newborn baby died in Gaza City’s Al Helou International Hospital while infants were being evacuated from the facility because of Israel’s escalating military operations.

Three premature babies were moved out of the facility while 10 more still need to be evacuated, Wafa news agency reported, quoting medical sources.


_{A member of the Cadus organisation evacuates a premature baby for further medical care from Gaza City}

Last flotilla boat stopped 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza

The Global Sumud Flotilla, the organisation behind the boats that have been attempting to break Israel’s illegal naval blockade of a starving Gaza, said that the Marinette, the last vessel that was sailing towards the Palestinian enclave, was intercepted at 10:29am (7:29 GMT).

In livestream footage from the boat seen before the camera was shut, Israeli commandos could be seen approaching the Marinette on their boat, and then boarding the aid vessel.

The flotilla’s organisers said the Marinette was 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza at the time — which means it was in international waters.



Captured from the live stream, 8:29 AM local time

But even as all 42 boats in the flotilla have now been captured by Israeli military forces, organisers of the aid campaign said they will not stop efforts to break the blockade of Gaza.

“This is not the end of our mission. Our determination to confront Israel’s atrocities and stand with the Palestinian people remains unshaken,” the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a post on Instagram. “As people rise up in cities worldwide to demand an end to these horrors and to take a stand for humanity, we rise together with one voice:

We will not stop until the genocide ends.
We will not stop until Palestine is free.”

Further flotilla continues to Gaza

Another flotilla is sailing towards the Gaza Strip in an attempt to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade, activists say.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition says the Conscience boat left Italy on Wednesday carrying about 100 activists, many of them healthcare workers and journalists.

It joins eight other vessels that departed nearly a week earlier.

The nine ships are currently off the coast of the Greek island of Crete, according to live tracking data.

Video shows Israel’s Ben-Gvir berating detained flotilla activists, calls them ‘terrorists’

Footage shared on social media shows Israel’s far-right national security minister berating dozens of the activists, calling them “terrorists”, as they sit on the ground at what appears to be Ashdod port in Israel.

According to an unofficial translation of Ben-Gvir’s comments on Thursday evening, he says the activists’ ships were “found completely empty”, accusing them of not carrying humanitarian aid as claimed.

“They didn’t really come … to help. They came for Gaza, for the terrorists. These are terrorists,” he said.

“They’re terrorists”

Tonight, Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, visited the Israeli military port of Ashdod verbally attacking detained international activists and journalists from the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Ben Gvir labeled the peace activists… pic.twitter.com/aWpCTieruw

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 2, 2025

Israeli police say 470 flotilla activists processed, ready to be deported

Israeli police have said they have processed more than 470 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla and they are ready to deport them, The Times of Israel news outlet reports.

More than 600 Israeli police officers were deployed to Ashdod port, where they subjected the group to a “thorough inspection process”, according to ToI.

The activists have now been handed over to Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority and the Israel Prison Service for processing before they are deported.

Global protests erupt after interception of the flotilla

Popular protests erupted worldwide overnight after the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla at sea. Alongside a 15,000-strong march in Barcelona, demonstrations were held in cities across the globe.

Protests were reported in Berlin, Paris, Buenos Aires and Karachi, among others.

In Dublin, Miriam McNally told AFP that her daughter was among those detained by Israel on the flotilla. “I am worried sick for my daughter, but I am so proud of her and of what she’s doing,” McNally said at a demonstration in the Irish capital.

“She is standing up for humanity in the face of grave danger,” she added.

Colombians rally against Israel’s interception of Gaza flotilla


_{Demonstrators hold smoke flares in the colours of the Palestinian flag during the protest in Bogota}