Gaza Freedom Flotilla
Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessels and convoys have attempted to break the blockade of Gaza since 2010. The first flotilla with six ships was launched by what would then become the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. It was subsequently raided by Israeli forces.
Since 2010, attempts from the Freedom Flotilla II in 2011, Freedom Flotilla III in 2015, Women's Boat to Gaza in 2016, Just Future for Palestine Flotilla in 2018, and flotillas in June and July 2025, have all been intercepted, raided or attacked by Israeli forces.
In August 2025, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, and began launching a series of flotilla convoys towards Gaza.
Background
In 2008, the first ships to breach the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip were launched by the Free Gaza Movement. Founded during the 2006 Lebanon War, activists launched 31 boats from 2008 to 2016, with five that succeeded in reaching Gaza.Timeline
2010
Raid
2011
2015
2016
2018
The Just Future for Palestine Flotilla, JFP Flotilla or 2018 Gaza Freedom Flotilla was another attempt to challenge the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The flotilla consisted of two ships Al Awda and Freedom and two yachts Mairead and Falestine. On 29 July and 3 August 2018, both Al Awda and Freedom were seized by the Israeli Navy. The activists were arrested and some reported they were tasered, and beaten. Most were deported to their home countries.2024
2025
May
June
July
August–early October
Late September–October
A new flotilla of 9 ships, organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza, sailed towards Gaza during late September/early October 2025. The flotilla included about 150 participants altogether. One of the ships was the 68-metre-long Conscience, which was hit by drones in May 2025 near Malta while en route to Gaza carrying aid.Conscience left the port of Otranto on 30 September or 1 October, carrying about a hundred activists, including doctors, nurses, other health workers, journalists, lawyers, Turkish members of parliament, and a Buddhist monk. On 3 October, the nine ship flotilla was near the coast of Crete. On 7 October, Italian MP Marco Croatti, member of the Five Star Movement and participant of the Global Sumud Flotilla asked the Italian government to protect the Italian participants of the initiative.
| Boat | MMSI |
| Abd Elkarim Eid | |
| Alaa Al-Najjar | |
| Anas Al Sharif | |
| Conscience | 550071155 |
| Gaza Sunbird | |
| Leïla Khaled | |
| Milad | |
| Soul of My Soul | |
| Umm Saad |
On 8 October 2025, the Israeli military attacked, intercepted and boarded all nine boats about 120 nautical miles from Gaza, in international waters, and detained the passengers. The boarding of one of the boats was live-streamed, showing the moment when a soldier damaged a camera by hitting it with a machine gun.
This was the second interception of its kind within one week.
Response to the interception