This is the reality of what Israel is doing (part 7)

[Eyesopenwideawake]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/19/killing-of-young-siblings-at-gaza-water-point-shows-seeking-lifes-essentials-now-a-deadly-peril

A continuation of https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/conflict-in-the-middle-east/5311075-this-is-the-reality-of-what-israel-is-doing-part-6?page=1

The Israeli army are using aid centres as target practice.

The Israeli government is proposing building a 'refugee' centre in Rafah with an extra special feature - no one is allowed to leave.

Hotel California?

An update on the 2026 Freedom Flotilla

Israel Illegally Attacked and Boarded FFC Boats in International Waters
/ Coalition statements, Featured, Press releases / By FFC bénévole des médias
The largest civilian flotilla in the history of support for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank was illegally attacked and boarded by Israeli navy forces, beginning at 10:30am Türkiye time, Monday, May 18, 2026.
Multiple large Israeli warships disgorged a large number of boats filled with combat laden Israeli Offensive Forces.
At this point, nine hours into the illegal attack, the combat Israeli military personnel forcefully boarded 27 of the ships in the flotilla organized by Global Sumud Flotilla, Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association.

As of yesterday
The last boat of the 2026 Gaza Freedom Flotilla has been seized in international waters and its crew detained by Israeli forces.
Unarmed civilians sailed to break the siege on Gaza and bring global attention to the genocide.
Israel is continuing to break International Law

Trump on the Flotilla from
AlJazeera news

‘ US imposes sanctions on Gaza flotilla organisers amid Israeli crackdown
Rights advocates say Trump administration is using sanctions and ‘terrorism label’ to silence Palestinian activism.
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Activists protest outside the foreign ministry in Athens after flotilla aid vessels bound for Gaza were intercepted by Israeli forces in the eastern Mediterranean, May 18 [Louisa Gouliamaki/Reuters]

Published On 19 May 202619 May 2026
The United States has imposed sanctions on four activists for their involvement in the flotillas trying to break Israel’s siege on Gaza, alleging without evidence that organisers of the vessels are trying to reach the Palestinian territory “in support of Hamas”.
The sanctions on Tuesday come as the Israeli military continues to intercept the latest fleet of Gaza-bound ships.’

The supposed leader of the free world sanctioning those who advocate for Freedom
You really couldn’t make it up !

I don't know why they don't just let them land and offload their aid. Oh wait they don't have any aid on board. 😂

Not sure why you think that’s funny!

Perhaps a little education on their purpose might help.

Just to help

the 2026 Gaza Freedom Flotilla (also known as the Global Sumud Flotilla) was carrying aid. 1, 2]

The fleet of more than 50 vessels and over 400 international activists set sail to challenge Israel's naval blockade and deliver life-saving supplies to Palestinians in Gaza. Organizers and activists stated that the cargo included vital humanitarian relief such as medical aid, baby formula, diapers, and food. 1, 2, 3]

However, organizers and participants acknowledged that the vessels' holds were too small to carry enough aid to resolve the crisis.

They viewed the humanitarian cargo as secondary to their primary political goal: drawing international attention to the humanitarian catastrophe and breaking the maritime blockade. 1, 2, 3]

Stating no aid is a lie

https://www.thejournal.ie/430-activists-gaza-flotilla-being-taken-to-israel-7045148-May2026/

Intimidating the activists like they intimidate Palestinians, hands tied and kneeling with the Israeli anthem playing.

Really keen on that bully boy power tactics.

There has been widespread condemnation of their treatment and Ben-Gvir antics

Italy, France and Canada have denounced as "unacceptable" the treatment of pro-Palestinian activists who were on board a Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted by Israeli naval forces.

And Netanyahu trying to distance himself from it
His actions also drew rare criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said they were "not in line with Israel's values".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyp32weyn8o

Not in line with Israels values.. is that trying to be funny?

Videos of Palestinians rounded up stripped, blindfolded and hands bound, herded in groups are plentiful online .

Is that in line with Israels values.

Agree Marty
They’ve been treating Palestinians like this for years

Thanks for that link of yours but let’s just post that image and a note to interested mumsnetters There are plenty of videos available of armed IDF boarding the boats. In International waters. Again!!!

What’s Starmer said about This. I see nothing in the news. Last October he stated UK citizens on the Flotilla taken in International waters was a matter for Israel ????

Does Israel own International waters? . Have they stolen International waters like they do with other peoples land.

You'd think by now someone would have explained to Starmer what International waters means.

.Excellent question
how would the world react if Russia or Iran
acted like pirates in International waters

Thanks @Stirabout for posting that image. Quite powerful to think their crime is that they are all people who were trying to deliver aid.

The video of Irish woman Catriona Graham is also shocking its all over online.b

Actually here's his full quote not quite the rebuke really

“Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza. However, the way that Minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel’s values and norms,” Netanyahu says.

So they're preventing "Hamas terrorist supporters" how predictable. Trying to get aid through to Gaza means you support Hamas and deserve to be arrested in international waters

Yes I saw her Israeli captors grab her by the hair and someone ( Gvir ??? same black shirt ? ) push her in the face to the ground whilst her hands are bound
Then he smiles and swaggers around celebrating waving his flag

This is Gvir
Celebrating they are untouchable

The world needs to stop the strangle hold they have on so many countries.

Treating people in these inhumane ways
hands bound
stress position
Israeli music playing
verbal antagonism

and the worry is. That’s what Israel have allowed us to see. What aren’t we !!

There’s also that sneaky little

‘from entering our territorial waters’

before long history will have forgotten they were no where near Israeli territorial waters.
Oh sorry
Yes
Israel has a right to defend itself so They can attack anyone anywhere

Hamas terrorist supporters because they want to deliver aid to the Palestinian people?
Its so clear how that narrative has been constantly reiterated, if you support Palestinians in any way you support Hamas.

Israels values and norms are exactly the way Ben Gvir acted , Netanyahu is just trying to fudge it a little after the international condemnation.

I keep thinking about the Palestinians. If this is what that ghoul Gvir and his cronies do openly to members of the international flotilla, just imagine what they do to the Palestinians continually when nobody's watching 😔

But I thought it was “all eyes on Gaza”? I mean, the world IS watching. That’s the point isn’t it? What’s happening in Sudan or Somalia? Nobody’s there to report on that, oddly.

Because what aid was on the boat in the end? I’ve seen it reported that there were lots of condoms for the crew’s personal use, but I haven’t seen any reports of actual aid. It all looks purely performative - which TBF is why it was so stupid of Ben Gvir to hand them that photo op.

And have been doing for decades long before the current offensive.. The constant kidnappings and arrests at checkpoints, rounding up large groups for humiliation by stripping them etc. Look at what is happening in the West Bank and we can see some of what residents in Gaza have endured.

Ben Gvir only publicised what has been happening because it has been acceptable for so long when it was meted out to Palestinians.

Israeli norms and values on display there.

Yes international waters will become their occupied "buffer zone"

so stupid of Ben Gvir to hand them that photo op.

so their inhumane treatment was just for a photo op, good grief

I honestly don't know where to start with your post.
What I meant was the treatment of Palestinian hostages (whom Israel refer to as prisoners, but it (Israel) has a habit of imprisoning innocent medics, journalists etc. As well as defenceless kids. We know some of what happens to them, but it's probably worse beyond our imaginings behind closed doors 😔

Of course there was aid on the boats. Boats plural. It was a flotilla, not one boat. It's well known that Gvir & co have removed aid before filming, for propaganda purposes. I doubt he's even capable of telling the truth.

As for the suggestion that the purpose of the flotilla was to get footage like this out there of them being abused, that's as ridiculous as it is offensive. They were kidnapped in international waters, nowhere near Israel at the time. They were trying to get aid to Gaza, not to be kidnapped, imprisoned and mistreated by Israeli pirates.

No surprise that Starmer is being pathetic.
What is his excuse?

Wouldn’t even have made the news had that grinning sadist not been able to help himself. It really is terrifying to think what Palestinians are being subjected to hidden away from the world in torture camps.

Thank you NYT for opening the door to at least some exposure of the horrors.

Now let some journalists into that hell hole so the world can see.

@Stirabout I agree, it’s an excellent question:

How would the world react if Russia or Iran
acted like pirates in International waters?

Yes he is being pathetic @Ellen2shoes Michael Martin has written to the EU calling for a suspension of trade deal with Israel .

https://www.thejournal.ie/taoiseach-letter-eu-gaza-activists-treatment-flotilla-israel-7046176-May2026/

Let’s watch and see what happens there
In think it will tell us a lot about how countries view the lives and rights of their own citizens

< cough cough Starmer>

Some posters just can’t keep away from propaganda

Just condoms 🤣

That’s exactly what Israel think

as an aside
People should check out the aerials of how much land Theyve stolen in Gaza !!!!
absolutely shocking !!