Israel Prepares for New Gaza Flotilla Expected in Late October

Israeli security officials are preparing for the possibility of another flotilla attempting to reach the Gaza Strip, with current assessments indicating it could arrive in late October. The planned flotilla is expected to depart from Sicily, Italy, and is believed to consist of a few vessels carrying a small number of pro-Palestinian activists. However, Israeli intelligence anticipates that more activists and boats may join as the departure date approaches.

In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are making initial preparations to intercept the flotilla. The established policy, consistent with previous attempts, is to prevent any vessels from reaching Gaza and breaking the maritime blockade. If the activists ignore warnings, the IDF's elite naval commandos, Shayetet 13, are prepared to board and take control of the ships.

This potential new flotilla comes five months after the IDF intercepted a previous one that departed from Turkey. During that incident, Shayetet 13 commandos boarded the vessels, detained the activists, and subsequently deported them back to Europe after a brief detention in Israel.

The previous interception sparked international controversy, particularly after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released a video of himself waving an Israeli flag and speaking in Hebrew to handcuffed activists on the ground at Ashdod port. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Ben-Gvir's actions, stating that while Israel has the right to prevent provocative flotillas, the minister's conduct was inconsistent with Israeli values and norms. The incident led to the summoning of Israeli ambassadors from Paris, Rome, Ottawa, and Amsterdam.