The IDF is on high alert as an international flotilla aiming to reach the Gaza Strip edges closer to its destination.
The flotilla, named “Sumud” — Arabic for “steadfastness” — set sail from Barcelona last month in a bid to “break the blockade” imposed by Israel on Gaza, and is expected to approach the region as early as Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
Security officials say the operation is being treated with the highest level of preparedness, involving Navy forces and other units who are preparing for the possibility of an active maritime interdiction. A special inter-agency task force comprising the IDF, Shin Bet internal security agency, police and the Foreign Ministry has been established to coordinate the response from a joint operations center throughout the Jewish holiday.
The flotilla, which includes 50 vessels and around 500 activists — including high-profile figures such as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg — is accompanied by Italian and Spanish naval ships. The presence of European military escorts has added a diplomatic layer to Israel’s operational planning.
Israel has already issued warnings to flotilla organizers that the vessels will not be allowed to reach Gaza’s shores. The IDF has offered an alternative: dock at Israel’s port of Ashdod, unload humanitarian aid there and allow Israel to transfer it to Gaza via established channels. Officials say this mechanism is designed to prevent direct breaches of Israel’s naval blockade, which it argues is necessary for security and has been upheld by the United Nations in previous rulings.
Hospitals along Israel’s coast have been instructed to prepare for the possibility of treating activists if needed. While the military aims to avoid escalation or international incidents, officials say all scenarios are being prepared for — especially in light of the unprecedented scale of this flotilla compared to past attempts.
Gaza-bound activist boat intercepted by Israeli Navy commandos
(Video: Foreign Ministry)
A senior official noted that this operation is “far more complex” than previous encounters, including the recent interception of the smaller Madleen boat in June, which carried about a dozen activists and was stopped without violence. “We don’t want complications — we aim for low-profile, precise handling,” the official said.
Another source cited a report by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry that links the flotilla to Hamas. “This isn’t the Mavi Marmara,” the source said, referencing the deadly 2010 raid on a Turkish-led flotilla. “Most of those aboard are peace activists, not terrorists. But the risk of weapons or provocations cannot be ruled out.”
Diplomatically, Israel is working to avoid direct confrontation with the European naval vessels accompanying the flotilla. A Foreign Ministry official said efforts are underway to ensure that no Israeli Navy ship comes into direct contact with Spanish or Italian warships.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly called for the flotilla to stand down, warning it could endanger the newly proposed U.S. peace plan for Gaza. “With the peace plan for the Middle East proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, a hope of agreement has finally opened up to end the war and the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population and to stabilize the region. A fragile balance, which many would be happy to sabotage,” she posted on X.
“I fear that a pretext could be provided precisely by the flotilla's attempt to force the Israeli naval blockade. For this reason too, I believe that the flotilla should stop now and accept one of the various proposals put forward for the safe delivery of aid.
"Any other choice risks becoming a tool to derail peace, fuel the conflict and ultimately harm the very people in Gaza it claims to help. It is time for seriousness and responsibility."
Israeli officials echoed that view, calling the flotilla a “provocation designed to serve Hamas.” One diplomatic source said, “We’ve offered them every opportunity to deliver aid safely — through Ashdod, Ashkelon or even with help from the Italian government and the Vatican. They refused. This is about headlines, not humanitarian relief.”
Israel plans to intercept the vessels at sea, bring activists to shore and deport them promptly. Those who refuse to cooperate are expected to be held in detention.