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 by late October. The planned flotilla is expected to depart from Sicily, Italy, and is anticipated to consist of a few vessels carrying a limited number of pro-Palestinian activists. However, Israeli intelligence suggests that more activists and boats might join as the departure date approaches.

In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are making initial preparations. The established policy, consistent with previous flotillas, is to prevent any vessels from reaching Gaza and breaking the maritime blockade. If the activists ignore warnings, the IDF's elite naval commando unit, Shayetet 13, is prepared to intercept and board 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 soldiers took control of the vessels, and the activists on board were briefly detained in Israel before being deported.

The previous interception led to a political and international controversy, particularly after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released footage of the detained activists, who were seen bound on the floor, while he waved an Israeli flag and addressed them in Hebrew. This action drew sharp criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, other Israeli ministers, and international leaders, resulting in the summoning of Israeli ambassadors from Paris, Rome, Ottawa, and Amsterdam.

Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that while Israel has the right to prevent provocative flotillas associated with Hamas supporters from reaching Gaza, Minister Ben-Gvir's conduct towards the activists did not align with Israel's values and norms.