The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organized the voyage, said the activists were "kidnapped by Israeli forces" while trying to deliver desperately needed aid to the territory.
"The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical supplies — confiscated," it said in a statement. It said the ship was seized in international waters some 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Gaza.
Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying in a post on X that "the ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel."