The US on Thursday condemned the latest Gaza flotilla, which sought to breach Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and was intercepted by the Israeli Navy.
“The US condemns the Global Sumud Flotilla as a baseless, counterproductive stunt organized by a sanctioned pro-Hamas entity," said State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
“Unlike organized assistance mechanisms coordinated with regional partners thanks to President Trump’s peace plan, this flotilla circumvents mechanisms designed to ensure humanitarian assistance is received by civilians," he added.
“Our allies should take decisive action against this stunt, and participants should face any relevant legal consequences," concluded Pigott.
The Israeli Navy intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla on Wednesday evening, finding - as in the cases of previous flotillas - that it was not carrying “humanitarian aid" for Gaza as its organizers had claimed.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on Thursday that the participants in the flotilla would be transferred to Greek territory and would not be detained in Israel.
The flotilla, which departed from several countries including Turkey, Spain, and Italy, included more than 100 vessels and around 1,000 participants.
On Wednesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz imposed sanctions on a campaign raising funds for the flotilla to Gaza.
The sanctions target a fundraising campaign for the flotilla, which is organized by the Hamas terrorist organization in cooperation with additional international groups under the guise of a humanitarian aid mission.
The move is part of a broader economic campaign led by Israel’s defense establishment against Hamas and efforts to destabilize Gaza, involving coordination with US efforts, and following extensive activity by the Navy, Military Intelligence, and the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing at the Defense Ministry.