New flotilla wave sets sail for Gaza as Israel begins deportations of activists
Nine Gaza-bound aid boats have set sail from Italy's Catania shortly after Israeli forces intercepted the last remaining vessel from the first wave of the Global Sumud Flotilla, according to a live tracker.
The second wave initially comprised of eight boats, but was subsequently joined by the Conscience, a separate mission carrying 90 paramedics and journalists - constituting the largest vessel to participate in the flotilla so far.
Organisers added that preparations are already underway in the south of France to launch the next flotilla in November.
This comes as Israeli forces intercepted the last remaining vessel from the first flotilla on Friday morning, and Israel's foreign ministry confirmed it was beginning to deport the hundreds of detained activists.
On Friday, livestream video showed Israeli soldiers boarding the Polish-flagged Marinette, which organisers had previously reported was "steaming" towards Gaza after all the other boats in the once 44-strong fleet had been seized and redirected to Israel's Ashdod port.
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The Marinette's Australian captain, identified only as Cameron, informed the organisers late on Thursday that the boat had been lagging behind the main fleet due to engine issues, but was on course to reach Gaza.
“We have a bunch of very tough Turks onboard… we’ve got a lady from Oman and myself, and we’re just going to continue in the direction,” he said.
"Marinette is online and in great spirits," a source with the Global Sumud Flotilla told MEE on Thursday. "They were behind the fleet and trying to catch up, which likely spared them."
Israel's foreign ministry had previously warned that the Marinette's "attempt to enter an active combat zone and breach the blockade will also be prevented".
A live geo-tracker showed the boat was intercepted some 43 nautical miles (about 80km) from Gaza’s territorial waters.
'Free Palestine'
All the boats from the first flotilla wave have now been intercepted.
Organisers confirmed to MEE that the Israeli authorities detained all 455 participants, including high-profile climate activist Greta Thunberg and French member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan.
The legal and human rights organisation Adalah reported that participants are being held in a detention space inside Ktzi’ot Prison, Israel's largest prison which is located in the south near Gaza.
According to Adalah, all those processed so far have received visits from their lawyers, and consular visits began this morning. Everyone is reported to be relatively well.
The International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza said in a statement that several detainees began an open-ended hunger strike upon their detention.
The Israeli foreign ministry said in a post on X that "procedures are underway to finalise the deportation" of flotilla participants, confirming that four Italian citizens have already been deported and that "the rest are in the process of being deported".
Procedures are under way to wrap up the Hamas-Sumud provocation and to finalize the deportation of the participants in this sham.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 3, 2025
Already 4 Italian citizens have been deported. The rest are in the process of being deported. Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as… pic.twitter.com/LeM1R25jTP
"Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible," it added.
A video circulating on social media showed Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir confronting detained flotilla activists as they awaited transfer to prison on Thursday, repeatedly accusing them of being “terrorists.” The activists responded by chanting: “Free Palestine".
In response, the International Committee said that it was “not surprising for the criminals of genocide to send out their minister, swaggering before activists from 50 countries around the world, surrounded by his guards", adding that the activists' chants "shattered the ears" of Ben Gvir.
In a subsequent video published by Israeli Channel 14, Ben Gvir was seen touring Ktzi’ot Prison, proclaiming: "As I promised, those flotilla members, supporters of terrorism, are here in a security prison".
"The games are over – they are getting conditions like terrorists for all intents and purposes".
“As I promised, those flotilla members, supporters of terrorism, are here in a security prison.”
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) October 3, 2025
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir on Friday spoke from Ktzi'ot Prison, where members of the Global Sumud Flotilla are currently being detained and treated as… pic.twitter.com/f2UTh4JWBD
The interceptions of the flotilla have drawn global condemnation, with the UN's rights office saying that Israel's actions had widened its unlawful blockade of Gaza.
On Wednesday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced the expulsion of all remaining Israeli diplomats and the termination of the free trade agreement with Israel.
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