More than 160 activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were taken to the Greek island of Crete on Friday after Israeli forces seized their vessels in international waters near Greece, flotilla organisers said. The organisers told Reuters that 168 members of the flotilla crew had been taken to Crete, while two activists remained with Israeli authorities.
Source: Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, Oct 23, 2026
On Friday, an Israeli army ship transferred the 168 crew members to Greek boats, which took them to shore, where buses and an ambulance waited, organisers said and Reuters footage showed, Dawn reported. The activists were part of a second Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail from Barcelona on April 12 in an attempt to break Israel's blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance, Dawn said.
Source: Dawn via Everything.PK, Oct 23, 2026
A source who asked not to be identified said 22 boats had been intercepted by Israel while 47 others were still sailing off southern Crete and planned to anchor there before continuing towards Gaza, with each ship carrying about a tonne of food, medical supplies and other equipment, Al Jazeera reported. Dawn reported the same figures and said the 22 vessels were seized late on Wednesday in international waters off Greece's Peloponnese peninsula, hundreds of miles from Gaza, according to the organisers.
Source: Al Jazeera, Oct 23, 2026
Two activists remained in Israeli custody, identified by Israel and the organisers as Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian Thiago Avila, Dawn reported. Israel's foreign ministry said Abu Keshek was suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organisation and Avila was suspected of illegal activity, and that both would be taken to Israel for questioning, Dawn said. Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares accused Israel of illegally arresting Abu Keshek and demanded his immediate release, Dawn reported.
Source: Dawn via Everything.PK, Oct 23, 2026
Flotilla organisers alleged, in a Telegram statement reported by Dawn, that activists were denied adequate food and water aboard an Israeli naval vessel and that some suffered injuries including broken noses and cracked ribs. Dawn said there was no immediate comment from Israel on the allegations of mistreatment. Israel's foreign ministry called the organisers 'professional provocateurs' and said Israel will not allow the breach of what it called the lawful naval blockade on Gaza. Awaaz Punjab reports each side's claim as a claim, not as settled fact.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on X on Friday that former senator Mushtaq Ahmad, who he said was unlawfully detained along with other humanitarian workers aboard the flotilla, had been released, Dawn reported. Dar thanked the Hellenic authorities for facilitating Ahmad at Crete and Turkiye's leadership and government for facilitating his return to Istanbul for onward travel to Pakistan, and condemned what he called the illegal detention of humanitarian workers and obstruction of aid for Gaza, Dawn said.
Source: Dawn via Everything.PK, Oct 23, 2026
Pakistan and 10 other countries — Turkiye, Brazil, Jordan, Spain, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Colombia, Maldives, South Africa and Libya — condemned what they called the 'Israeli assault' on the flotilla, saying in a joint foreign-ministers' statement that the seizure and detention in international waters constituted flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, Dawn reported. Germany's and Italy's foreign ministries issued a joint statement saying they were following developments with 'deep concern', Dawn added, and Parriva reported that Greece's foreign ministry called for restraint and universal respect for international law, including the law of the sea.
Source: Dawn via Everything.PK; Parriva, Oct 23, 2026
Palestinians and international aid bodies say supplies reaching Gaza are still insufficient despite a ceasefire that included guarantees of increased aid, Dawn reported. Israel, which controls all access to the Gaza Strip, denies withholding supplies for its residents, Dawn said.