Israeli naval commandos opened fire on the Global Sumud flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, organizers claim. What the pictures show
Israeli forces opened fire on at least two ships that were part of the humanitarian aid flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, according to video footage and statements by the organizers of these expeditions, but Israel says no live ammunition was used and there were no casualties, Reuters writes.
The flotilla made a new attempt to deliver aid to Gaza after previous missions were intercepted by Israel in international waters.
Video footage broadcast live by the flotilla shows soldiers from Israeli naval commandos firing on two of the boats.
Israeli naval forces are accused of firing 'rubber bullets' at activists on board the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla.
A spokesperson for the flotilla said multiple boats came under fire, as Israel launched an operation to intercept them in the Mediterranean Sea. pic.twitter.com/8808EeRj9q
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 19, 2026
From the video recordings, it is not clear what type of ammunition was used, Reuters notes.
🇮🇱🇵🇸 Israel is picking off the last vessels of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla one by one.
IDF naval commandos are intercepting what organizers say are the final ships in the campaign to breach Israel's naval blockade.
Israel enforcing the naval blockade on Hamas. Flotilla… https://t.co/H3EeeTBqYU pic.twitter.com/30U8gv9kOm
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 19, 2026
“At no time was live ammunition fired,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“After multiple warnings, non-lethal means were used against the ships – not against the protesters – as a warning. No protesters were injured during these events,” the Israeli ministry added.
🇮🇱🇵🇸⚡️IDF naval commandos continue to take over vessels of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters.
Fewer than 10 vessels of the flotilla remain en route to Gaza. pic.twitter.com/QhQMwf0dwO
— War Flash (@WarFlash_2630) May 19, 2026
The Global Sumud flotilla later reported that all 50 vessels that made up the group had been intercepted in the eastern Mediterranean, and 428 participants from more than 40 countries had been detained, including 78 Turks.
Israeli forces intercept Zefiro boat from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/EvdhRsFbDX
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) May 19, 2026
Israel's Foreign Ministry had said on Monday that it “will not allow any violation of the legal naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.”
Speaking in Ankara on Monday evening, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the intervention against the “voyagers of hope” in the flotilla and called on the international community to take action against Israel's actions.
Ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla lifted anchor for the third time in southern Turkey last Thursday, after previous attempts to deliver aid to Gaza were intercepted by Israel in international waters.
The aid group previously said the fleet included 426 people from 39 countries.
The US Treasury announced on Tuesday that it was imposing sanctions on four people associated with what it described as the “pro-Hamas” flotilla.
Pro-Palestinian activists say Israel and the United States are mistakenly conflating their fight for Palestinian rights with their support for the extremist militant group Hamas.
Palestinians and international aid organizations say supplies reaching Gaza remain insufficient, despite a ceasefire agreement reached last October that included guarantees of increased aid.
Most of the Gaza Strip's more than 2 million residents have been displaced, many of them now living in bombed-out houses and makeshift tents erected on open land, roadsides or in the ruins of destroyed buildings.
Israel, which controls all access routes to the Gaza Strip, denies that it is withholding supplies destined for residents of the Palestinian enclave.
