Pro-Palestine protesters have been "kidnapped" after an Israel intercepted a flotilla headed to Gaza, organisers of the "humanitarian mission" have said.
A spokeswoman for the Global Sumud Flotiila said seven Irish activists aboard the flotilla were "taken" by Israeli authorities as the flotilla was in international waters.
The fleet of small boats were intending to carry out a "peaceful humanitarian mission bringing aid and aiming to break the siege on Gaza", according to the group.
The spokesman added that there were a total of 22 Irish citizens participating in the mission.
Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed it had detained around 175 participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla and described the operation as a "PR stunt".
However, organisers lambasted the Israeli navy's actions as "piracy" and a "violent raid in international waters".
They added: "As part of their aggression, Israeli navy intercepted vessels, jammed communications, including distress channels, and aggressively abducted civilians. These are not contested border zones. These are international waters.
"Even more alarming is the silence. Governments that claim to uphold international law have, once again, said nothing."
One of the Global Sumud Flotilla boats as it departed from Barcelona
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According to the Global Sumud Flotiila's boat tracker, 20 boats have been intercepted, with 47 vessels still on track to reach Gaza - the majority of which are about 600 nautical miles away.
Israel has said its actions complied with international law, adding that "the driving force behind the flotilla provocation is Hamas".
It accused the Global Sumud Flotilla of "joining hands" with the terrorist organisation with "the aim of sabotaging President Trump’s peace plan transition to its second phase and intended to divert attention from Hamas’s refusal to disarm".
This is the second Global Sumud Flotiila after a mission in October, which saw Greta Thunberg detained by Israeli forces.
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PICTURED: Pro-Palestine protesters in Istanbul, supporting the Global Sumud Flotilla
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In September, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the project was "dangerous and irresponsible", and later pleaded with its organisers to "stop now" after the Italian navy deployed vessels to accompany activists.
But now, Ms Meloni's office has condemned the seizure of the flotilla and demanded the release of "unlawfully detained" Italian citizens.
And the Greek Ministry of Foregin Affairs called for "restraint and universal respect" for international law, and said it had asked Israel to withdraw from the region.
The Irish citizens taken have been named as Catriona Graham, John Connellan, Fiacc O’Brolchain, Robert Murphy, Colm Byrne, Michael Fix and Martin Guilfoyle.
Giorgia Meloni has condemned the seizure of the boats and urged 'unlawfully detained' Italian citizens be released
|REUTERS
Karen Moynihan, head of the Irish Global Sumud Delegation, said "hundreds of others" were taken alongside the Irish activists.
She said: "They attacked the flotilla, rammed boats, boarded boats with guns.
"People were forcibly removed, they were kidnapped.
"We do not know where they are right now."
It is understood that crew members of the intercepted flotilla will be released in Greece.
Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, also participated in the flotilla, but is not believed to have been taken by Israeli authorities.