𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐮𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐳𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐢 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

 The flotilla’s 'Orange Line' crossing is the same waters where Israeli forces previously illegally seized the Handala and Madleen aid ships

The Cradle, News Desk, SEP 30, 2025,


The Global Sumud Flotilla reached 150 nautical miles from Gaza’s coast on 30 September, with activists declaring they are now in Israel’s “kidnapping zone” and warning of possible interception within the next two days.

“As we approach 150 nautical miles distance from Gaza, we enter Israel’s kidnapping zone. Keep all eyes on us and on Gaza in the coming 48 hours. It’s about damn time to break the siege,” activist Roos Ykema said in a video posted on Instagram.

Organizers believe the fleet could arrive in Gaza within three days, depending on speed, weather, and the risk of mechanical breakdowns or Israeli attacks.

They have named the 150-mile line the “Orange Line,” the point where previous aid ships such as the Madleen and Handala were illegally seized by Israeli naval forces earlier this year.

Rights groups are calling for demonstrations outside foreign ministries in case of arrests or assaults on the flotilla.

Italy and Spain have both sent warships to follow the convoy, reportedly to escort the aid fleet safely and guard against Israeli attacks.

Most recently, Turkiye confirmed its navy intervened after one of the ships began leaking, with footage showing frigates assisting the flotilla.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said on X that its vessels were operating “in coordination with relevant institutions” and reaffirmed their commitment to “the protection of humanitarian values and the safety of innocent civilians.”

The Flotilla has called on governments, including Turkiye, Italy, and Spain, to move past symbolic gestures and join the fleet to Gaza’s shores, upholding the right to free passage and ensuring humanitarian access under international law.

However, despite the assistance, calls to action, and pledges of support, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni previously dismissed the mission as “gratuitous, dangerous, irresponsible,” insisting aid could be routed through Cyprus and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Her proposal echoed Israeli demands that all supplies be unloaded at Ashkelon under its supervision, a condition flotilla organizers rejected as an extension of the blockade rather than a neutral arrangement.

Several of the Sumud Flotilla ships have already come under attack, including two struck by suspected Israeli drones while docked in Tunisia earlier this month.

An online tracker shows the vessels sailing near Egyptian waters and pressing toward Gaza. Despite tensions, activist Kieran Andrieu reported that morale on board “is higher than it’s been in a long time.”

The fleet, carrying activists, journalists, and artists from 44 countries, is the latest attempt to shatter Israel’s siege on Gaza, where famine grips the population, and genocide continues unchallenged.