The flotilla, commonly known as the Global Sumuda Flotilla (GSF), set sail in late August and included dozens of ships and hundreds of activists from different countries.
On Monday, the prosecution filed a motion for permanent forfeiture. 50 ships under foreign flag who tried to hack Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The flotilla, commonly known as Global Sumuda Flotilla (GSF)sailed at the end of August and included dozens of ships and hundreds of activists from different countries.
In early October, the Israeli Navy intercepted the flotilla, detaining more than 400 participants. Israel maintains that the naval blockade is legal and necessary to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas. Organizers argued that the flotilla's humanitarian goals and protection of the law of the sea justified their attempt.
The prosecution's request notes that a “significant number” of vessels were either owned or financed by Hamas or affiliates, including a front company called “Neptune Cyber” associated with the non-governmental organization Palestine Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA).
The request is based on international law precedent that allows a blockading state to seize ships that attempt to pierce a legal naval blockade.
Activists, including Greta Thunberg, stand on a boat as part of the Sumud Global Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, seen from the port in Barcelona, Spain, August 31, 2025 (photo: BRUNA CASAS/REUTERS)
The first wave of 41 vessels was intercepted on October 1, and the second wave of nine vessels was intercepted about a week later, according to the documents. The prosecution said the flotilla was “unprecedented in scale and scope… organized and centrally controlled…” and that its “movement resembled warships moving in formation.”
The flotilla transported less than five tons of humanitarian aid
The petition notes that the flotilla carried less than five tons of humanitarian aid between all ships – about a quarter of what a single truck entering Gaza typically carries – and argues that this undermines the claim that the mission was primarily humanitarian. In contrast, aid organizations report that hundreds of trucks are entering Gaza every day. Critics said the flotilla was more about symbolism and media attention than delivering aid.
Many activists have alleged mistreatment while in Israeli custody, including beatings, denial of medical access, being detained with a gun pointed at their head, and being forced to sleep on the floor. Israeli authorities have rejected allegations of abuses, saying the rights of those detained were respected and accusing activists and their legal representatives of spreading “blatant lies.”
The case is currently pending before the Haifa District Court, which has its maritime jurisdiction, as the prosecution will seek judicial approval to permanently seize the vessels. The result could set a precedent for the enforcement of naval blockade provisions and the treatment of foreign-flagged vessels participating in such missions.
