Greece: Gaza-bound flotilla spots nearby vessels off Greece, activist Ehab Lotayef says group “calm”.

SHOTLIST AT MEDITERRANEAN SEA (MAY 4, 2026) (USERS MUST CREDIT “GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA” HANDOUT– FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) 1. CANADIAN ACTIVIST EHAB LATAYEF, SAYING: "We are here on the Perseverance and around… We are seeing a large military vessel and a cargo vessel. We expect that they are heading to the first boat among us. We are sort of in a line and we are waiting here. We still have satellite connection as you probably can see. And we're expecting nothing at this point. We don't have a timeline of boarding or anything. But we are all here calm. We are still fast and we are determined to be non-violent and implement all what we transform."AT MEDITERRANEAN SEA - MAY 4 - USERS MUST CREDIT “GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA” HANDOUT– FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY: A Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla spotted nearby vessels off the coast of Greece on Monday, May 4, as participants described the situation at sea. From aboard the Canadian vessel Perseverance, activist Ehab Lotayef said a large military vessel and a cargo ship were visible near the fleet as boats waited in formation, adding that they did not have a timeline for any boarding. Lotayef said the group remained calm and determined to act in a non-violent manner as they monitored developments with satellite communication still active. The Global Sumud Flotilla said Monday evening that Israeli forces were attempting to intercept Gaza-bound humanitarian aid vessels off the coast of Greece, citing escalating surveillance and intimidation at sea. In a statement, the group said the Freedom Flotilla Coalition fleet—currently sailing off Greece to join the Global Sumud mission toward the Gaza Strip—is under “active military surveillance and intimidation.” The flotilla outlined a timeline of a “tactical escalation.” At 19:27 Palestine time, four vessels reported a military helicopter circling their position, the statement said. At 21:53, participants reported three drones overhead and an unidentified ship in the distance that had deliberately turned off its navigation lights. The group also cited maritime tracking data indicating that a US Lockheed Martin aircraft flew directly over the fleet shortly before the latest developments. According to the statement, participants later reported seeing unidentified boats and white lights approaching the flotilla from the rear. The group said the developments suggest an imminent interception attempt. Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation. It launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.