Israeli military forces began intercepting vessels Monday morning from a flotilla attempting to breach the naval blockade of Gaza. The operation targeted boats from the Global Sumud flotilla that were positioned off the coast of Cyprus.

Live broadcasts from the flotilla showed activists aboard the vessels putting on life jackets and raising their hands as a boat carrying Israeli troops approached. The livestream ended abruptly after Israeli forces wearing tactical gear boarded the ships. More than 50 vessels had departed from the Turkish port of Marmaris last week, with organizers describing it as the final leg of their journey to Gaza.

Prior to the interception, Israel's Foreign Ministry called on activists to "change course and turn back immediately." The ministry posted on social media that this was "another so-called humanitarian aid flotilla with no humanitarian aid," characterizing it as a provocation. The Israeli military declined to comment on the ongoing operation.

The flotilla involved nearly 500 activists from 45 countries, according to organizers. This operation followed a previous Israeli interception on April 30, when forces intercepted more than 20 boats near the Greek island of Crete, detaining about 175 activists. That incident drew condemnation from several countries and raised questions about enforcement of blockades in international waters.

Two activists from the previous incident - Spanish-Swedish citizen Saif Abukeshek and Brazilian citizen Thiago Ávila - were taken to Israel for interrogation and detained for several days before being deported Sunday. The activists accused Israel of torture, which Israel denied. Brazil and Spain condemned Israel for what they termed "kidnapping" their citizens.