If you’re just joining us

In case you’re just joining us, here’s what happened overnight as Israel moved against the Gaza aid flotilla:

• Israeli forces intercepted multiple boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla in the Mediterranean on Wednesday and took passengers to an Israeli port. The flotilla had set out to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

• Footage released by Israel’s foreign ministry and verified by Reuters showed climate activist Greta Thunberg surrounded by armed soldiers on one of the boats. She is the most high-profile passenger on board.

• Israel’s foreign ministry wrote on X: “Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”

• The flotilla, carrying food and medicine for Gaza, consisted of over 40 civilian vessels with around 500 people onboard, including parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists. It was about 70 nautical miles from Gaza when Israeli forces moved in.

• Videos shared by passengers on Telegram showed individuals holding their passports, saying they had been abducted and taken to Israel against their will. They stressed the flotilla’s mission was peaceful and humanitarian.

• Organisers condemned Israel’s “illegal” raid as a “war crime,” saying troops used aggressive tactics, including water cannon, but reported no casualties. They also said Israel disrupted their communications, including live camera feeds from the boats.

• Israel said the flotilla was heading into an active combat zone and breaching a lawful blockade. Officials claimed aid could be transferred safely through established channels.

• On Telegram, flotilla organisers reported that vessels named Spectre, Alma and Sirius, among others, were boarded in international waters. The fate of several passengers remains unclear.

• Turkey’s foreign ministry described the Israeli “attack” as “an act of terror” that put civilian lives at risk. Demonstrations erupted across Italy in response.

• Turkey said it had started efforts to secure the release of Turkish nationals and other detainees. Spain urged Israel to guarantee the rights and safety of the activists, while Ireland described the flotilla as “a peaceful mission to shine a light on a horrific humanitarian catastrophe.”

• Ship tracking data indicated at least 13 vessels had been intercepted or halted by early Thursday. Organisers vowed to continue, saying the flotilla “will continue undeterred.”

• Thirty boats were still on course towards Gaza, with organisers reporting they were 46 nautical miles from their destination early on Thursday.