«--[· Preface ·]--»
On October 2, the Israeli navy said it seized 40 boats carrying about 400 alleged humanitarian activists in support of Gaza during an operation that lasted approximately 12 hours and that no violence was involved. One of the ships sank and the Navy rescued the people on board; the other ship is still sailing.
Israel has warned that any vessels attempting to approach the blockade or enter an “active combat zone” near Gaza, which it defines, will be seized.
These 400 people come from Sweden, Turkey, France, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Algeria, Colombia, the United States and other countries, mainly the European Union.
“The Collective Anger of the European Union”
Under the midnight of the Mediterranean, a dark-flowing game is taking place.October 1, 2025, late to morning, the Israeli Navy launched a massive operation in the Mediterranean Sea, seizing 40 ships and more than 400 international aiders on board.
These volunteers come from more than 40 countries, including Sweden, Turkey, France and Italy, and most of them are EU citizens. They took the "Global Fortitude Fleet" in an attempt to break through Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver medical supplies, food and water purification equipment to the people of Gaza who have been besieged for two years. This is not the first time Israel has intercepted an aid convoy.
In June this year, the Swedish "environmental girl" Greta Thunberg participated in the "Madrin" was forcibly dragged to Israel in the high seas, 12 crew members were all deported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly praised the military for "preventing dozens of ships from entering the war zone", but he didn't expect that this move completely angered European countries, and a diplomatic storm was brewing.
Israel's actions quickly triggered strong reactions from many European countries. The British Foreign Office urgently summoned the Israeli ambassador and demanded that all detainees be safe and released immediately. French Foreign Minister Barrow bluntly stated on social media that Israel must protect the consular rights of French citizens and that "they should not become bargaining chips in political games".
Spanish Foreign Minister Alvarez revealed that there are 65 Spanish citizens among the detainees, and the country has started the highest level consular protection mechanism. The most intense reaction came from Italy. After learning that 40 citizens were detained, large-scale protests broke out in many places in Italy.
Tens of thousands of people in cities such as Rome, Milan and Naples took to the streets, shouting the slogan "stop the genocide" and even blocked the train station once.The Italian trade unions announced a national strike on October 3 to solidarize with the detainees and protest the government's policies against Israel.
Even Prime Minister Meloni rarely criticized the flotilla operation for "not bringing any benefits to the Palestinian people" and hinted at dissatisfaction with Israel's practices. More seriously, Colombia directly announced the expulsion of all Israeli diplomats stationed in the country and the termination of the free trade agreement between the two countries.
The tough move stems from the detention of two Colombian citizens in the flotilla. President Petro denounced Israel's actions as "international crimes" and vowed to pursue accountability through legal means. The rift within the EU is widening.
On September 17, the European Commission just proposed sanctions against Israel, including tariffs on imports worth €5.8 billion, and sanctions on far-right ministers.
The Left Party in the European Parliament has filed a no-confidence motion against EU Commission President Von der Leyen, accusing it of "failing to act" on the Gaza issue.If the motion is passed, the entire EU administration could collectively resign, which would be one of the worst political crises since the EU was founded.
“The war of Hamas...”
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas seized the opportunity to launch an offensive against the public opinion.On the evening of October 1, Hamas issued a statement calling Israel’s interception operations “piracy and terrorist crimes” and calling on the international community to “judge Israel’s atrocities.”
The statement emphasizes in particular that members of the fleet include journalists and humanitarian rescuers, and that Israel’s actions are “an open violation of international law”.Hamas’s statements are not isolated.The Palestinian Foreign Ministry, South African President Ramaphosa, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry and others have repeatedly condemned Israel’s violations of international law.
Turkey has raised the incident to the height of "terrorist acts" and has launched a judicial investigation into 24 detained Turkish citizens, even the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has issued a statement urging Israel to immediately release all of them and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza unhindered.
For Hamas, this is a rare "diplomatic victory". Hamas has long been isolated due to its designation as a terrorist organization by Israel and Western countries. This flotilla incident allowed Hamas to find a new propaganda breakthrough.
In his statement, a Hamas spokesman specifically mentioned that the members of the fleet came from "more than 500 volunteers from more than 40 countries," including members of the European Parliament and prominent personalities. This cross-border solidarity action has undoubtedly strengthened Hamas's voice in international public opinion.
More importantly, the flotilla incident exposed the fragility of Israel's blockade policy. Despite Israel's declaration that "all ships have not broken the blockade," international concern about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is heating up. According to United Nations statistics, more than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip are facing food shortages and the medical system is on the verge of collapse. Israel's attempt to force Hamas into submission through the blockade has backfired and triggered a worldwide anti-Israel wave.
«--[·Israel Dilemma·]--»
According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, any country enjoys freedom of navigation in the high seas unless there is sufficient evidence that the vessels are engaged in illegal activities. Israel claims that the fleet "is trying to enter an active combat zone", but there is no clear definition of "active combat zone" in international law.
The organizers of the fleet stressed that they were always sailing in international waters and carried no weapons.The Israeli legal basis is unstoppable.In 2010, the International Court ruled that Israel’s blockade of Gaza was “in violation of international law” and demanded that Israel allow humanitarian aid to enter freely.
During the incident, Israel again intercepted the vessels as a “security threat” but failed to provide concrete evidence of the vessel’s association with Hamas. Even Israeli media acknowledged that most of the detainees were ordinary volunteers, including doctors, teachers and retirees.
Politically, Israel is falling into isolation. In addition to the pressure of EU sanctions, the attitude of the United States is also changing subtly. While the Trump administration still publicly supports Israel, criticism of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is growing in the United States.
Recent polls show that more than 40 percent of U.S. citizens consider Israel’s military action “excessive,” a percentage that increased by 15 percentage points during the conflict in 2023.
Germany, a traditional supporter of Israel in Europe, has also begun to waver recently. On the one hand, German Chancellor Merz announced that he would stop exporting weapons to Israel, but approved a large order to sell submarines to Israel. This contradictory attitude aroused strong domestic dissatisfaction. Although Poland, Hungary and other Eastern European countries still support Israel, they have become a minority within the EU.
“ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ”
The diplomatic storm sparked by more than 400 donors is rewriting the political landscape in the Middle East. Israel's blockade policy has not only failed to weaken Hamas, but has instead plunged itself into unprecedented international isolation. How will these triple challenges affect Israel's decision-making? Where will the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip go? The answer to all of this will be revealed in future games.