Israeli forces intercept activist boat seeking to challenge Gaza blockade

Livestream shows Israeli forces in a dinghy pulling up to the boat

People raise V-signs and take photos from a boat decorated with Palestinian flags as another vessel displaying solidarity signs sails past near the port in Marmaris, Turkey, on May 14, 2026. (Photo by Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli forces have intercepted one of the remaining Gaza flotilla boats – stopping the vessel about 82 nautical miles from Gaza, according to the flotilla’s website tracker.

A livestream on the website showed Israeli forces in a dinghy pulling up to the boat, called the Andros, and activists with their arms in the air.

The screen then went dark with a message saying the boat had been intercepted.

A handful of ships were still within 100 nautical miles of Gaza and sailing towards the region as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Israeli navy’s new action resumed a day after it interdicted the activist flotilla in international waters off Cyprus.

It was the latest attempt by the Global Sumud Flotilla to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and underscore the grim living conditions of Palestinians living in the territory.

Dozens of vessels departed from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, last week in what flotilla organisers described as the final leg of their planned journey to Gaza’s shores.

Some 41 boats were intercepted on Monday with another 10 continuing to sail before the Andros interception, according to Global Sumud Flotilla’s tracker.