Israel has been hijacking ships and kidnapping European citizens in the Mediterranean for the last 24 hours.
Foreign AffairsMiddle East
- Omissions
- The MEP uses the terms 'hijacking' and 'kidnapping', which are legally and politically charged. Israel characterises the operation as a lawful naval interception of vessels attempting to breach a maritime blockade, not as criminal hijacking or kidnapping. The factual events (boarding ships and detaining people) are confirmed, but the legal characterisation is contested.
- No primary official source (e.g. Israeli military statement or EU naval report) was available among the search results; all sources are secondary (news media and the flotilla organisers' own press releases).
- Searches did not return independent verification of the exact number of European citizens among those detained, though multiple sources confirm their presence.
- Sources
- SecondaryAl JazeeraThe Global Sumud Flotilla, the international movement heading the mission, said Israeli military personnel boarded several boats off Cyprus on 18 May 2026.
- SecondaryBBC NewsIsraeli forces have intercepted a flotilla of more than 50 boats carrying aid for Gaza in international waters near Cyprus and detained hundreds of activists.
- SecondaryGlobal Sumud Flotilla (press release)On 18 May 2026, Israeli naval forces violently abducted the humanitarian workers of the Global Sumud Flotilla in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
- SecondaryCourthouse News ServiceIsrael attacked the flotilla in international waters, detained activists and transferred them to Israel. The interception involved European citizens among those detained.