The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has called al-Aqsa Flood Operation a turning point that “exposed the true face of the Israeli entity and its American backer.”

In a statement marking the second anniversary of Al-Aqsa Flood, the resistance movement described the October 7, 2023, operation as “a battle of sacrifice, liberation, and defiance.”

Hezbollah denounced the US's unconditional support for Israel and Washington’s complicity in the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza.  

“Hezbollah renews its pledge that it stands with the resistant and steadfast people of Palestine, who have inscribed with their steadfastness and patience mixed with tragedies and pains the highest lessons of pride and dignity in the face of the most brutal Israeli criminal entity, managed by a brutal American administration,” the statement read.

It further stated that the war revealed Israel’s “criminal and expansionist nature,” stressing that the Tel Aviv regime crossed all lines by committing massacres, collective punishment, and genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory.

“This sacred battle has revealed from its first moment the true face of the criminal Zionist entity, stripped of any human attribute, supported by the arrogant American tyrant, trampling on all laws, international resolutions, and humanitarian considerations, violating the sovereignty of states by attacking them and their peoples, deeply involved in committing massacres, genocide, and waging a war of starvation and displacement against the people of Gaza, openly revealing its expansionist and aggressive plans,” the Hezbollah statement noted.

It emphasized that Israel and its US-led Western backers “understand only the language of force, strength and confrontation.”

The Lebanese group said that the stability of West Asia depends on “Arab and Islamic unity” and on “translating opposition to Israeli aggression into concrete action.”

Lebanon and all Muslim nations “must realize that this entity is a dagger planted in the region’s heart, a malignant cancerous tumor that must be excised before it spreads and leads wherever it settles to destruction and ruin,” the statement added.

It called on the entire Muslim world to form a united front under the banner of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in order to confront the US and Israeli aggression in Gaza and elsewhere across the region. 

Hezbollah reiterated its commitment to the “path of resistance” and paid tribute to its martyred leader Hassan Nasrallah and other martyrs who, it said, sacrificed their lives for the cause of al-Quds and Palestine.

“On this anniversary, we send a salute of reverence and respect to the righteous leader and all the martyrs who stood, supported, and sacrificed for al-Quds and Palestine.”

The group also expressed gratitude to Iran, Yemen, Iraq, and “free nations around the world” that have supported Gaza and voiced solidarity with its people.

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At least two people have been killed when the Israeli military carried an airstrike in the Nabatieh governorate of southern Lebanon.

It marked the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement in place since November 2024 between Lebanon and the Israeli regime.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli drone strike targeted a civilian car in the village of Zebdine on Monday, killing a man as well as his wife and injuring another person.

NNA identified the man as Hassan Atwi, who was wounded and lost his sight when Israel blew up hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members last year.

His wife, Zainab Raslan who was driving, was also killed.

According to the Lebanese official media, the couple had two sons killed during Israel’s recent nearly 14-month aggression.

Israel on Monday deported the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and about 170 other participants in a flotilla that tried to deliver aid by sea to Gaza but was intercepted by the Israeli authorities, the foreign ministry said.

By Humaira Ahad

Tens of thousands of people in different countries took to the streets on Friday and Saturday in response to the Israeli attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla, highlighting the mission’s success in awakening nations to the ongoing genocide and the resulting humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Demonstrators rallied in cities across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, condemning Israel’s genocidal war and the detention of hundreds of activists who attempted to deliver aid to the besieged territory.

Some of the biggest rallies were held in Italy and Spain, including the one in Barcelona on Saturday that many described as the largest march in history in the Spanish city.

The flotilla, comprising at least 44 civilian vessels carrying around 500 activists from different countries, faced its first interception on Wednesday evening.

Israeli forces boarded multiple boats and detained volunteers, including renowned Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and several European lawmakers, taking them to a jail in the occupied territories.

By Thursday noon, the Israeli military reported that all but one vessel had been seized. On Friday morning, a livestreamed video showed Israeli forces boarding the Polish-flagged Marinette, the last operational vessel of the flotilla, approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza. The Marinette reportedly had a crew of six.

Most of them were deported back to their countries on Saturday and Sunday. Some of them spoke to the media in Istanbul about how Thunberg was abused, tortured, dragged and forced to kiss the Israeli flag – apparently on the orders of Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who referred to them as “terrorists.”

Activists reported that Israeli naval forces had deliberately damaged communications on several vessels to block distress signals and livestreams as they approached Gaza.

Even in the weeks leading up to the interception and abduction, the flotilla’s vessels had faced repeated attacks.

Two unnamed American intelligence officials reported that, following Netanyahu’s orders, Israeli forces on September 8 and 9 launched drones from a submarine and dropped incendiary devices onto the boats that were moored outside the Tunisian port of SidiBou Said, causing a fire.

According to a report by CBS News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly approved drone strikes on two vessels that were part of the Gaza-bound Sumud flotilla

On September 8, an incendiary device struck the Family, a Portuguese-flagged vessel, one night after Portuguese lawmaker Mariana Mortágua had been on board.

The next day, the Alma, a British-flagged vessel, was attacked in the same way. Both boats sustained fire damage.

In separate incidents in late September, a group of activists said it was attacked by 15 low-altitude drones while sailing south of Greece.

At least 13 explosions were heard on and around the flotilla, and objects were dropped on at least 10 vessels, causing damage.

Meanwhile, the flotilla organisers reiterated their commitment to continue speaking against the ongoing genocide aided and abetted by the US and its allies.

“The world must take note; attempts to silence, intimidate, or obstruct our commitment to the Palestinian cause and people will not succeed. We call for urgent, independent investigations into these attacks and full accountability for those responsible,” it said.

Global reach of the flotilla

The flotilla included participants from 37 countries, with significant contingents from Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, and Malaysia.

Over 400 activists were detained following Israel’s attack on the flotilla. The International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza reported that some detainees even launched hunger strikes in Israeli custody.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Affairs Commission (Al-Asir) announced that the Zionist regime imprisoned activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla in the Negev Desert prison, widely regarded as one of the regime’s most notorious detention facilities.

While the flotilla carried only a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, its primary goal was to establish a maritime corridor into Gaza and highlight the severe humanitarian crisis after nearly two years of genocidal war.

The flotilla departed in late August 2025 from ports in Spain and Italy, stopping in Greece and Tunisia en route to Gaza.

Activists reported hostile encounters, including suspected drone strikes near Malta and Crete, which damaged some vessels and forced withdrawals.

By the time the convoy neared the eastern Mediterranean, 44 vessels remained, capturing international attention and prompting Spain and Italy to deploy naval ships to monitor the flotilla and assist if necessary.

However, the two countries stopped accompanying the international flotilla once it got within 278 kilometres of the Gaza shore, fearing attack from the Israeli forces.

International reactions

Governments and international human rights bodies responded strongly to the interception and abduction of activists who were part of the flotilla.

Iran’s foreign ministry condemned it, with spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stating that the aggression represented “a blatant violation of international law and an act of terrorism.”

He praised the humanitarian efforts of activists who had “stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people and sought to break the cruel blockade.”

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas called the attacks on flotilla vessels, activists, and accompanying journalists a “treacherous attack, a crime of piracy, and maritime terrorism.”

They emphasised that intercepting the flotilla “is a criminal act that must be condemned by all free people of the world.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned Israel’s “intimidation and coercion” of vessels carrying “unarmed civilians and life-saving humanitarian supplies for Gaza.”

He stated that Israel had shown “utter contempt not only for the rights of the Palestinian people but also for the conscience of the world.”

Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Harris expressed concern over the Israeli raids, describing the flotilla as “a peaceful mission to shine a light on a horrific humanitarian catastrophe.”

In South America, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro expelled Israeli diplomats and ended the Free Trade Agreement with Israel as a mark of protest.

He described Netanyahu as demonstrating “his worldwide hypocrisy and why he is a worldwide criminal who must be captured.”

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil highlighted the blockade as “a tool of deliberate war, the continuation of genocide by other means, seeking to annihilate the population by starvation to complement their indiscriminate bombings.”

Turkey’s foreign ministry called Israel’s interception a “terrorist” act.

Protests across the globe

Mass demonstrations against the interruption of the Sumud Flotilla erupted in cities across Europe. In Italy, thousands gathered in Rome, Milan, Turin, Trento, Bari, and Palermo.

Large crowds marched from landmarks such as the Colosseum and central plazas, waving Palestinian flags and holding banners calling for an end to Israel’s blockade.

Commercial traffic at the port of Livorno was temporarily disrupted, and the national strike organised by Italian unions affected train services nationwide.

In Pakistan and Bangladesh, protests followed Friday prayers, with thousands marching in Karachi, Islamabad, and Dhaka. Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and placards denouncing Israel’s actions.

In Malaysia, hundreds gathered in front of the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, expressing outrage over the abduction of activists and calling for an immediate end to the Gaza blockade.

Past flotilla attacks

The Global Sumud Flotilla was the most recent in a series of humanitarian maritime missions destined for Gaza, which was attacked by the Israeli occupation regime.

In May 2010, the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, carrying over 600 activists, was stormed by Israeli forces in international waters, resulting in the deaths of 10 activists and injuries to dozens more.

Subsequent flotillas in 2011, 2015, and 2018 were similarly intercepted before reaching Gaza.

In 2025, following Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, new flotilla attempts met similar fates. The ship Conscience was struck by armed drones near Malta in early May, igniting a fire.

The Madleen was intercepted 100 nautical miles from Gaza in June, and the Handala was boarded by Israeli forces in July, with all 21 activists detained and deported.

These repeated interventions illustrate Israel’s continued determination to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching the besieged strip, according to activists and observers.

Symbolism and significance

While the flotilla was attacked, the mission achieved a broader objective: awakening global awareness and mobilising public opinion against Israel’s brutal blockade of Gaza.

The mass protests, political condemnations, and widespread attention generated by the mission highlight its success in transforming a symbolic humanitarian operation into a global statement on justice, legality, and human rights.

Even though the flotilla did not reach Gaza, its representational effect in galvanising public opinion against the Israeli regime has been substantial.

The flotilla has underscored the capacity of civil society to hold governments accountable and challenge entrenched geopolitical power structures.

The mission exemplifies a shift in global engagement, where civil society and grassroots activism intersect with geopolitical issues to highlight human rights and humanitarian concerns.

Though the ships were stopped, the flotilla’s impact continues to ripple across the world.

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Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has openly defended the mistreatment of hundreds of international activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla.

In a Saturday post on X, an activist with the Gaza-bound flotilla, Ersin Celik, said Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg was physically abused and forced to kiss an Israeli flag after regime forces raided the Gaza-bound vessels and detained those on board.

Amid widespread criticism, the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Sunday dismissed claims that Thunberg and other detainees from the Sumud flotilla were mistreated, calling the allegations “brazen lies.”

The Cradle news website reported on Monday that minutes after the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s denial, Ben-Gvir said he was proud that the flotilla activists are being treated as “terrorists”, explaining it as his policy.

“I am proud of the prison staff acting in accordance with the policy set by Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi and myself. I was on their ships; I saw neither aid nor humanity,” the website quoted the Israeli minister as saying.

Ben-Gvir expressed pride that during his visit to Israel’s Ktzi'ot Prison, the flotilla activists were treated as “supporters of terrorism.”

“Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the same conditions applied to terrorists,” he emphasized.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of over 50 vessels, set sail from Barcelona late last month to deliver aid to Gaza and challenge what human rights groups have condemned as one of the harshest and most inhumane blockades in the world.

Since Wednesday, the Israeli navy has illegally intercepted flotilla vessels in international waters as they neared Gaza, detaining about 500 activists from more than 40 countries.

Since March 2, when Israel violated its ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, the regime has sealed all border crossings into the enclave, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and further deepening Gaza’s already dire humanitarian crisis.

The brutal blockade has pushed the famine-linked death toll to 460 people, including 154 children.

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The Yemeni Armed Forces have claimed responsibility for launching a new “hypersonic ballistic missile” attack against sensitive targets deep inside the Israeli-occupied territories in support of the besieged Palestinian people in Gaza.

Yemeni military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a televised statement aired by al-Masirah TV on Sunday that Yemeni forces struck sensitive targets in the occupied city of al-Quds with a multi-warhead Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile.

He noted that the operation could successfully achieve its desired objectives.

The missile attack reportedly caused widespread panic among illegal settlers, pushing thousands of them to seek refuge in bomb shelters.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces are monitoring the status quo in Gaza in light of recent developments. They reiterate that — with Allah's help and in coordination with the Resistance Front — are keeping a watchful eye on the situation, particularly those related to halting the Zionist aggression and lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip,” Saree said.

The Yemeni military spokesperson vowed that his nation would continue to launch missile attacks against Israel until “the war and blockade on Gaza end.”

In light of the worsening genocidal war in Gaza that started in October 2023, Yemeni forces executed a strategic maritime blockade intended to obstruct the delivery of military resources to Israeli-occupied territories while urging the global community to address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Concurrently, they conducted multiple missile and drone attacks on key targets located in the Israeli-occupied regions, demonstrating their support for the Palestinians in Gaza.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have stated unequivocally that they will continue their operations until Israel puts an end to its ground and aerial assaults in Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in the besieged Gaza Strip since October 2023, according to the health ministry of Gaza.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly rejected US President Donald Trump’s plan for peace with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Trump posted a statement on social media on Friday, calling on the Israeli regime to stop bombing Gaza and prepare for the release of its captives from Gaza because he now believes Hamas is “ready for a lasting PEACE.”

However, Axios reported Netanyahu took the opposite stance to what Trump had proposed, telling his team to stick to the plan they had before the US president made his Friday statement.

According to the report, Netanyahu instructed his team that Hamas’s reply should be treated as a rejection of the Trump peace plan.

Netanyahu was surprised by Trump’s announcement on Gaza and wanted to make sure it did not become established that Hamas had given a positive answer to Trump’s plan, Axios reported.

In a statement, Hamas said its priority was to restore peace in Gaza. It said it appreciated the work of Trump, along with Arab and Muslim countries, to create a plan that calls for “an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, the immediate entry of aid, the rejection of occupation of the Strip, and the rejection of the forcible displacement of our Palestinian people from it.”

Hamas noted those were the aspects of the Trump peace plan that it liked. It added that in return for an end to the Gaza war and the Israeli pullout from the Palestinian territory, it agrees to release all the captives alive and deceased, according to the exchange ratio set out in Trump’s plan.

Hamas leader Musa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera that the priority for them is to stop the Israeli regime forces’ ongoing genocidal war on Gaza.

“The priority is to stop the war and massacres, and from this perspective, we responded positively to the Trump plan,” Abu Marzouk said.

Hamas wants to hold negotiations on the details of the Israeli withdrawal, he added. Hamas will be able to release all of the captives “provided that the necessary field conditions for carrying out the exchange are met.”

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Protesters outside the Israeli embassy in South Africa on Friday called for the release of South African activists and others detained by Israeli forces from the Gaza-bound Sumud flotilla.

In Pretoria, protesters with pro-Palestinian placards and flags called on the South African government to close the Israeli embassy and expel its ambassador from the country.

Protesters claimed that Israel was committing crimes against humanity.

More demonstrations are expected to take place at various venues around South Africa, which is pro-Palestinian and has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza through its case at the International Court of Justice.

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Zionist Foreign Ministry:

?None of the ships of the Sumud fleet have succeeded in their efforts to reach this region

✍The stupid Zionist minister announced today with pride and a superficial and ridiculous look that no ship from Samood has succeeded in entering Gaza.

The fools think that they have shown off their power and authority with this show.

But the truth is something else.

They succeeded!

What reached Gaza was not food and medicine packages, but this message:

"People are capable, if governments are powerless and surrendered."

The seized ships each became as much a storyteller as hundreds of media outlets about the crimes and cruelty of the Zionist regime.

And this is the greatest victory!

Because it was imprinted in the minds of the world's public opinion and exposed that even humanitarian aid is being stopped in the face of occupation.

Yes, resistance is not only in the field, it also takes place on ships and on the oceans and can be effective.

Are you aware of the Sumud Caravan? A number of small ships loaded with food, medicine, and other items and set off from different countries with passengers of different nationalities towards Gaza. The main idea was that "now that the governments are doing nothing, free people will take action themselves. We are not going to turn the lives of the people of Gaza upside down with these four meals, napkins and milk powder, we just want the siege to be broken. Then hopefully others will dare and this process will continue.

In short... with this idea, a number of people from different countries wrote their wills, kissed their wives and children, said goodbye and set off towards the most brutal and bloodthirsty regime in the world.

During this time, various ships joined them from different places, celebrities and the media did promotional work, Spain and Italy filled the air and said they would send their ships to escort the ships...

Until today, when the ships arrived near Gaza.

Italy announced that it would return the ship.

Spain also said, "Shame on us... We have been here so far." We were.

Israel raised about 200 drones above the ships, sent a whole ship to surround them, sent a warning through the communication system and...

By tomorrow morning, the passengers of the Samood convoy will either reach Gaza, be captured by Israel, or be killed.

The world is watching a horror movie that is being played on a screen the size of the world. A movie with the most terrifying villains in the history of cinema, the most resilient people who have never been in a movie, a few free people who have taken the plunge into the sea, great powers who have backed down and hidden in holes, and we, who pray for Samood today until our turn comes. I hope that one day when the camera rolls and it is our turn to act, we will be one of those free and brave heroes of the movie.