UN special rapporteur urges Mediterranean states to protect Global Sumud Flotilla

UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese urged Mediterranean countries on Monday to protect a Gaza-bound aid flotilla after activists reported unidentified vessels near their convoy in international waters.

“Hands off the Flotilla,” Albanese wrote on the US social media platform X, calling on Mediterranean states to “protect the civilian vessels that are trying to break Israel’s genocidal siege on Gaza.”

She also urged governments to “break the siege,” “end complicity with Apartheid” and “make justice happen.”

Albanese made the remarks while reposting a message from the Global Sumud Flotilla, which said: “Unidentified vessels have been spotted near our fleet.”

In its alert posted Sunday evening, the flotilla said unidentified naval vessels, speedboats and drones were detected near the convoy in international waters in the Mediterranean as the aid mission continued toward Gaza.

The development came after the flotilla announced its arrival in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Global Sumud Flotilla 2026 Spring Mission, aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and delivering vital humanitarian aid, was intercepted by the Israeli army off the coast of Crete between April 29 and April 30.

The aid flotilla was attacked on April 30 near Crete, some 600 nautical miles from its destination.

The flotilla's first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, left Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel's years-long blockade.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli army launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000 and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.